Photonics Research, 2015, 3 (4): 04000133, Published Online: Jan. 6, 2016
Arbitrary and reconfigurable optical vortex generation: a high-efficiency technique using director-varying liquid crystal fork gratings Download: 1041次
Diffraction gratings Diffraction gratings Liquid-crystal devices Liquid-crystal devices Polarizationselective devices Polarizationselective devices Optical vortices Optical vortices Photosensitive materials Photosensitive materials Singular optics Singular optics
Abstract
A high-efficiency technique for optical vortex (OV) generation is proposed and demonstrated. The technique is based on liquid crystal fork gratings with space-variant azimuthal orientations, which are locally controlled via polarization-sensitive alignment layers. Thanks to the optical rewritability of the alignment agent and the dynamic image generation of the digital micro-mirror device, fork gratings can be instantly and arbitrarily reconfigured. Corresponding optical vortices carrying arbitrary azimuthal and radial indices are demonstrated with a conversion efficiency of 98.5%, exhibiting features of polarization control and electrical switching. The technique may pave a bright road toward OV generation, manipulation, and detection.
Peng Chen, Bing-Yan Wei, Wei Ji, Shi-Jun Ge, Wei Hu, Fei Xu, Vladimir Chigrinov, Yan-Qing Lu. Arbitrary and reconfigurable optical vortex generation: a high-efficiency technique using director-varying liquid crystal fork gratings[J]. Photonics Research, 2015, 3(4): 04000133.