Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are highly suitable materials for the fabrication of flexible photonic elements due to their ability for directional actuation induced by external stimuli. 3D laser printing (3DLP) is a well-established method to realize complex photonic architectures. In this paper, we present the technological adaptations necessary to combine the actuation-controlled flexibility of LCE with the design options inherent to 3DLP to realize a platform for tunable photonics. The role of birefringence of the LCE in the 3DLP fabrication is addressed and theoretically modelled. We demonstrate how LCEs can be used both as a flexible substrate for arrays of rigid photonic elements and as a material for tunable photonic structures itself. Flexible coupling of two optical whispering gallery mode cavities and full spectral tunability of a single cavity are presented as exemplary applications.

中文翻译：

---

通过液晶弹性体的 3D 激光打印可调谐光子器件

液晶弹性体 (LCE) 是非常适合制造柔性光子元件的材料，因为它们具有由外部刺激引起的定向驱动能力。3D 激光打印 (3DLP) 是实现复杂光子架构的成熟方法。在本文中，我们介绍了将 LCE 的驱动控制灵活性与 3DLP 固有的设计选项相结合以实现可调谐光子学平台所需的技术调整。解决了 LCE 双折射在 3DLP 制造中的作用并对其进行了理论建模。我们展示了 LCE 如何既可用作刚性光子元件阵列的柔性基板，又可用作可调谐光子结构本身的材料。