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Space-variant liquid crystal waveplate

A space-variable and wave-plate technology, applied in instruments, polarizing elements, opto-mechanical equipment, etc., can solve the problems of twisted nematic liquid crystal optical power processing capacity limitation, inability to generate vortex beams, etc.

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-09-17
VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC
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  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Problems solved by technology

[0013] [12] The above methods have a common defect, that is, they cannot generate a vortex beam with a polarization vortex order m greater than 2, or require multiple optical elements to generate a vortex beam
An additional drawback is the use of twisted nematic liquid crystal material for the waveplates, where each waveplate requires two pre-aligned substrates
In addition, twisted nematic liquid crystals are known to be limited in their ability to handle optical power

Method used

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  • Space-variant liquid crystal waveplate
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Embodiment Construction

[0041] [40] First refer to Figure 2A , the present invention provides an apparatus and method for manufacturing a spatially variable optically oriented liquid crystal (SVLC) wave plate 10, which can form a polarized vortex beam of substantially any predetermined vortex order m. exist Figure 2A In the illustrated embodiment, the SVLC wave plate 10 adopts a liquid crystal layer 25 made of a liquid crystal material, such as a liquid crystal polymer (LCP), and the liquid crystal layer 25 is arranged in an orientation formed by a photo-alignment material. On the layer 20 , the photo-alignment material such as linear photopolymerization polymer (LPP), the alignment layer 20 is disposed on the planar substrate 15 in turn. An example of LPP is polyvinyl 4-methoxy-cinnamate (PVMC). The molecular orientation of LPP is set by exposure to linearly polarized ultraviolet light (LPUV) to form an LC orientation pattern of the LC material to obtain the desired spatial pattern of the optical ...

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Abstract

The invention provides a space-variant liquid-crystal photo-aligned waveplate having a vortex optic axis pattern, and an apparatus and method for fabricating thereof. The method in it preferred embodiment includes exposing a substrate (15) coated with a photo-alignable material (20) such as LPP to linearly polarized UV radiation (111) through a wedge-shaped aperture (125), while rotating two of the aperture (125), the substrate and the polarization of the UV light, so that an exposure area performs a full rotation about a center point on the substrate, at angular velocities selected so as to form a vortex alignment pattern of a pre-defined order. An LC material is then deposited on the substrate in direct contact with the photo-alignable material (20) so that the LC director is aligned according to the photo-induced vortex alignment pattern. The method enables to fabricate vortex waveplate of any pre-defined vortex order.

Description

technical field [0001] [01] The present invention relates to a wave plate whose optical axis direction varies with space, in particular to a space-variant liquid crystal wave plate and a manufacturing method thereof. Background technique [0002] [02] A wave plate or optical retarder is an optical device that changes the polarization state of incident light by imposing a predetermined phase shift between two orthogonal polarization components of the incident light field. Typically, the added phase shift is called the waveplate retardation and is measured as a fraction of wavelength, so a waveplate that adds a π phase shift between two orthogonal polarizations is called a half-waveplate, while in A wave plate that adds a π / 2 phase shift between two orthogonal polarizations is called a quarter wave plate. [0003] [03] Waveplates can be fabricated from selected thicknesses of birefringent material whose optical axis lies in the plane of the waveplate; such waveplates are know...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): G02B5/30
CPCG03F7/70966G02F2413/09G02B5/3083Y10T428/10G03F7/70566G02B5/3016C09K2323/00G02F1/133631G02F1/1335
Inventor 大卫·M.·西蒙斯科特·迈克尔东尼杰瑞·扎而巴
Owner VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC