Nematic liquid-crystal polarization gratings by modification of surface alignment

Applied Optics
Bing WenCharles Rosenblatt

Abstract

The stylus of an atomic force microscope is used to scribe preferred directions for liquid-crystal alignment on a polyimide-coated substrate. The opposing substrate that comprises the liquid-crystal cell is rubbed unidirectionally, resulting in a twisted nematic structure associated with each micrometer-sized pixel. The polarization of light entering from the uniformly rubbed substrate rotates with the nematic director by a different amount in each pixel, and each of the two emerging polarization eigenmodes interferes separately. Two examples are discussed: a square grating that allows only odd-order diffraction peaks and a grating that combines rotation with optical retardation to simulate a blazed grating for circularly polarized light. The gratings can be electrically switched if used with semitransparent electrodes.

References

May 2, 1994·Physical Review Letters·K A SureshG S Ranganath
Nov 28, 2007·Optics Letters·J A DavisI Moreno

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Citations

Jan 10, 2012·The Review of Scientific Instruments·Christopher CulbreathHiroshi Yokoyama
Oct 12, 2004·Applied Optics·Michinori Honma, Toshiaki Nose
Jun 13, 2018·Chemphyschem : a European Journal of Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry·Nataša VaupotičDamian Pociecha
Jun 25, 2009·Optics Express·Michinori HonmaSusumu Sato
Mar 16, 2012·Optics Express·Wei HuYan-Qing Lu
Sep 9, 2004·Applied Optics·Michinori Honma, Toshiaki Nose
Aug 13, 2008·Nanotechnology·Valentin BarnaCharles Rosenblatt
Oct 31, 2006·Optics Letters·Suraj P GorkhaliGregory P Crawford
Oct 30, 2020·Optics Express·Sergio CalixtoGuillermo Garnica
Mar 21, 2008·Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics·Adam S BackerRobert A Pelcovits
Mar 7, 2021·Micromachines·Rowan MorrisMamatha Nagaraj

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