Open AccessPOLICRYPS structures as switchable optical phase modulators
Author(s) -
Luciano De Sio,
Nelson V. Tabiryan,
Roberto Caputo,
Alessandro Veltri,
Cesare Umeton
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.007619
Subject(s) - birefringence , optics , materials science , retarder , liquid crystal , anisotropy , polarization (electrochemistry) , laser , optical power , ray , optoelectronics , phase (matter) , phase modulation , physics , chemistry , quantum mechanics , phase noise , composite material
We report on the electrically controlled optical phase modulator behavior of light sculptured periodic structures made of polymer slices alternated to films of well aligned Liquid Crystals (POLICRYPS). Arbitrarily polarized light normally incident on the structure experiences a birefringence that depends on the anisotropy of the composite liquid crystalline material and on the geometrical cell parameters. The sample behaves as a retardation plate in good agreement with the Jones matrices formalism. Birefringence tuning is obtained by applying a suitable voltage, while a negligible birefringence variation is detected by increasing the incidence power. This makes POLICRYPS structures suitable as switchable phase retarders for high power laser beams.