Axially symmetric polarization converter made of patterned liquid crystal quarter wave plate

doi:10.1364/OE.20.023036

Axially symmetric polarization converter made of patterned liquid crystal quarter wave plate

Fan Fan, Tao Du, Abhishek Kumar Srivastava, Wang Lu, Vladimir Chigrinov, and Hoi Sing Kwok »View Author Affiliations

Optics Express, Vol. 20, Issue 21, pp. 23036-23043 (2012)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.023036

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Abstract
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References (21)
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Abstract

We present a method to fabricate a radially and azimuthally polarized light converter by deploying a patterned liquid crystal (LC) quarter-wave plates (QWP). The patterned QWP has been fabricated by providing the axially symmetric alignment to the LC layer by mean of photo-alignment. When the left handed circularly (LHC) or right handed circularly (RHC) polarized light passes through these patterned QWPs, the emergent light becomes radially or azimuthally polarized. Moreover, the proposed polarization converters are characterized by the fast response time, thus could find application in various fast photonic devices.

OCIS Codes
(160.3710) Materials : Liquid crystals
(230.3720) Optical devices : Liquid-crystal devices

ToC Category:
Optical Devices

History
Original Manuscript: July 24, 2012
Revised Manuscript: August 27, 2012
Manuscript Accepted: August 29, 2012
Published: September 24, 2012

Citation
Fan Fan, Tao Du, Abhishek Kumar Srivastava, Wang Lu, Vladimir Chigrinov, and Hoi Sing Kwok, "Axially symmetric polarization converter made of patterned liquid crystal quarter wave plate," Opt. Express 20, 23036-23043 (2012)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-20-21-23036

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References

R. Yamaguchi, T. Nose, and S. Sato, “Liquid crystal polarizers with axially symmetrical properties,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.28(Part 1, No. 9), 1730–1731 (1989). [CrossRef]
M. Stalder and M. Schadt, “Linearly polarized light with axial symmetry generated by liquid-crystal polarization converters,” Opt. Lett.21(23), 1948–1950 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. Slussarenko, A. Murauski, T. Du, V. Chigrinov, L. Marrucci, and E. Santamato, “Tunable liquid crystal q-plates with arbitrary topological charge,” Opt. Express19(5), 4085–4090 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. C. McEldowney, D. M. Shemo, and R. A. Chipman, “Vortex retarders produced from photo-aligned liquid crystal polymers,” Opt. Express16(10), 7295–7308 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Q. Zhan, “Cylindrical vector beams: from mathematical concepts to applications,” Adv. Opt. Photon.1(1), 1–57 (2009). [CrossRef]
L. Marrucci, C. Manzo, and D. Paparo, “Optical Spin-to-Orbital Angular Momentum Conversion in Inhomogeneous Anisotropic Media,” Phys. Rev. Lett.96(16), 163905 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
M. Beresna, M. Geceviçius, P. G. Kazansky, and T. Gertus, “Radially polarized optical vortex converter created by femtosecond laser nanostructuring of glass,” Appl. Phys. Lett.98(20), 201101 (2011). [CrossRef]
B. C. Lim, P. B. Phua, W. J. Lai, and M. H. Hong, “Fast switchable electro-optic radial polarization retarder,” Opt. Lett.33(9), 950–952 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Q. Zhan, “Trapping metallic Rayleigh particles with radial polarization,” Opt. Express12(15), 3377–3382 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
R. Dorn, S. Quabis, and G. Leuchs, “Sharper Focus for a Radially Polarized Light Beam,” Phys. Rev. Lett.91(23), 233901 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
A. V. Nesterov and V. G. Niziev, “Laser beams with axially symmetric polarization,” J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.33(15), 1817–1822 (2000). [CrossRef]
Z. Bomzon, G. Biener, V. Kleiner, and E. Hasman, “Radially and azimuthally polarized beams generated by space-variant dielectric subwavelength gratings,” Opt. Lett.27(5), 285–287 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. W. Ko, C. L. Ting, A. Y. G. Fuh, and T. H. Lin, “Polarization converters based on axially symmetric twisted nematic liquid crystal,” Opt. Express18(4), 3601–3607 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Y. Y. Tzeng, S. W. Ke, C. L. Ting, A. Y. G. Fuh, and T. H. Lin, “Axially symmetric polarization converters based on photo-aligned liquid crystal films,” Opt. Express16(6), 3768–3775 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
H. Ren, Y. H. Lin, and S. T. Wu, “Linear to axial or radial polarization conversion using a liquid crystal gel,” Appl. Phys. Lett.89(5), 051114 (2006). [CrossRef]
S. Nersisyan, N. Tabiryan, D. M. Steeves, and B. R. Kimball, “Fabrication of liquid crystal polymer axial waveplates for UV-IR wavelengths,” Opt. Express17(14), 11926–11934 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. C. McEldowney, D. M. Shemo, R. A. Chipman, and P. K. Smith, “Creating vortex retarders using photoaligned liquid crystal polymers,” Opt. Lett.33(2), 134–136 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. W. Ko, Y. Y. Tzeng, C. L. Ting, A. Y. G. Fuh, and T. H. Lin, “Axially symmetric liquid crystal devices based on double-side photo-alignment,” Opt. Express16(24), 19643–19648 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. Nersisyan, N. Tabiryan, D. M. Steeves, and B. R. Kimball, “Axial polarizers based on dichroic liquid crystals,” J. Appl. Phys.108(3), 033101 (2010). [CrossRef]
V. G. Chigrinov, V. M. Kozenkov, and H. S. Kwok, Photoalignment of Liquid Crystalline Materials (Wiley, 2008).
B. E. A. Saleh and M. C. Teich, Fundamentals of Photonics, 2nd ed. (Wiley, 2007).

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[1] R. Yamaguchi, T. Nose, and S. Sato, “Liquid crystal polarizers with axially symmetrical properties,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.28(Part 1, No. 9), 1730–1731 (1989). [CrossRef]

[2] M. Stalder and M. Schadt, “Linearly polarized light with axial symmetry generated by liquid-crystal polarization converters,” Opt. Lett.21(23), 1948–1950 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[3] S. Slussarenko, A. Murauski, T. Du, V. Chigrinov, L. Marrucci, and E. Santamato, “Tunable liquid crystal q-plates with arbitrary topological charge,” Opt. Express19(5), 4085–4090 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[4] S. C. McEldowney, D. M. Shemo, and R. A. Chipman, “Vortex retarders produced from photo-aligned liquid crystal polymers,” Opt. Express16(10), 7295–7308 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[5] Q. Zhan, “Cylindrical vector beams: from mathematical concepts to applications,” Adv. Opt. Photon.1(1), 1–57 (2009). [CrossRef]

[6] L. Marrucci, C. Manzo, and D. Paparo, “Optical Spin-to-Orbital Angular Momentum Conversion in Inhomogeneous Anisotropic Media,” Phys. Rev. Lett.96(16), 163905 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[7] M. Beresna, M. Geceviçius, P. G. Kazansky, and T. Gertus, “Radially polarized optical vortex converter created by femtosecond laser nanostructuring of glass,” Appl. Phys. Lett.98(20), 201101 (2011). [CrossRef]

[8] B. C. Lim, P. B. Phua, W. J. Lai, and M. H. Hong, “Fast switchable electro-optic radial polarization retarder,” Opt. Lett.33(9), 950–952 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[9] Q. Zhan, “Trapping metallic Rayleigh particles with radial polarization,” Opt. Express12(15), 3377–3382 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[10] R. Dorn, S. Quabis, and G. Leuchs, “Sharper Focus for a Radially Polarized Light Beam,” Phys. Rev. Lett.91(23), 233901 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[11] A. V. Nesterov and V. G. Niziev, “Laser beams with axially symmetric polarization,” J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.33(15), 1817–1822 (2000). [CrossRef]

[12] Z. Bomzon, G. Biener, V. Kleiner, and E. Hasman, “Radially and azimuthally polarized beams generated by space-variant dielectric subwavelength gratings,” Opt. Lett.27(5), 285–287 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[13] S. W. Ko, C. L. Ting, A. Y. G. Fuh, and T. H. Lin, “Polarization converters based on axially symmetric twisted nematic liquid crystal,” Opt. Express18(4), 3601–3607 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[14] Y. Y. Tzeng, S. W. Ke, C. L. Ting, A. Y. G. Fuh, and T. H. Lin, “Axially symmetric polarization converters based on photo-aligned liquid crystal films,” Opt. Express16(6), 3768–3775 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[15] H. Ren, Y. H. Lin, and S. T. Wu, “Linear to axial or radial polarization conversion using a liquid crystal gel,” Appl. Phys. Lett.89(5), 051114 (2006). [CrossRef]

[16] S. Nersisyan, N. Tabiryan, D. M. Steeves, and B. R. Kimball, “Fabrication of liquid crystal polymer axial waveplates for UV-IR wavelengths,” Opt. Express17(14), 11926–11934 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[17] S. C. McEldowney, D. M. Shemo, R. A. Chipman, and P. K. Smith, “Creating vortex retarders using photoaligned liquid crystal polymers,” Opt. Lett.33(2), 134–136 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[18] S. W. Ko, Y. Y. Tzeng, C. L. Ting, A. Y. G. Fuh, and T. H. Lin, “Axially symmetric liquid crystal devices based on double-side photo-alignment,” Opt. Express16(24), 19643–19648 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[19] S. Nersisyan, N. Tabiryan, D. M. Steeves, and B. R. Kimball, “Axial polarizers based on dichroic liquid crystals,” J. Appl. Phys.108(3), 033101 (2010). [CrossRef]

[20] V. G. Chigrinov, V. M. Kozenkov, and H. S. Kwok, Photoalignment of Liquid Crystalline Materials (Wiley, 2008).

[21] B. E. A. Saleh and M. C. Teich, Fundamentals of Photonics, 2nd ed. (Wiley, 2007).

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Axially symmetric polarization converter made of patterned liquid crystal quarter wave plate