Polar Policryps diffractive structures generate cylindrical vector beams
Date
2015
Authors
Alj, D.
Paladugu, S.
Volpe, G.
Caputo, R.
Umeton, C.
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Source Title
Applied Physics Letters
Print ISSN
0003-6951
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Publisher
American Institute of Physics Inc.
Volume
107
Issue
20
Pages
201101 - 201101-4
Language
English
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Abstract
Local shaping of the polarization state of a light beam is appealing for a number of applications. This can be achieved by employing devices containing birefringent materials. In this article, we present one such enables converting a uniformly circularly polarized beam into a cylindrical vector beam (CVB). This device has been fabricated by exploiting the POLICRYPS (POlymer-LIquid CRYstals-Polymer-Slices) photocuring technique. It is a liquid-crystal-based optical diffraction grating featuring polar symmetry of the director alignment. We have characterized the resulting CVB profile and polarization for the cases of left and right circularly polarized incoming beams.
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Keywords
Birefringence , Circular polarization , Liquid crystal polymers , Liquid crystals , Polarization , Birefringent materials , Circularly polarized beam , Cylindrical vector beam , Diffractive structures , Optical diffraction gratings , Photocuring technique , Polymer liquid crystals , Right circularly polarized , Crystal symmetry