In this work, we developed a photoalignment and photopatterning method to fabricate polymer-stabilized-liquid-crystals (PSLCs) for optical data encryption and anti-counterfeiting purposes. The PSLCs possess both implicit optical patterns as well as explicit geometries, could serve with improved environmental robustness and thermal stability after a post-extraction process, and can be directly bonded onto various substrates. Based on this, we prototyped proof-of-concept optical data encryption and anti-counterfeiting demonstrations using either one single photoaligned and photopatterned PSLC, or a pair of cascade, spatially programmed PSLCs.
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