Twist defect in an imprinted cholesteric elastomer

Abstract

We have found that a chiral twist defect inserted in a cholesteric elastomer gives rise to circularly polarized localized modes of both handedness. This defect enhances the resonant mode amplitude whose handedness is opposite to that of the cholesteric helix for high cross-linked density, whereas for low cross-linked density, the same mode is decoupled with the defect and thus the resonant mode disappears. Finally, the resonant mode of the same handedness as the elastomer helix is maintained for both high and low cross-linked density.