BRAGG LIQUID CRYSTAL POLARIZATION GRATINGS
First Claim
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1. An optical element, comprising:
- a plurality of stacked birefringent sublayers configured to alter a direction of propagation of light passing therethrough according to a Bragg condition,wherein the stacked birefringent sublayers respectively comprise local optical axes that vary along respective interfaces between adjacent ones of the stacked birefringent sublayers to define respective grating periods.
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Abstract
An optical element includes a plurality of stacked birefringent sublayers, such as liquid crystal sublayers, configured to alter a direction of propagation of light passing therethrough according to the Bragg condition. The stacked birefringent sublayers respectively include local optical axes that vary along respective interfaces between adjacent ones of the stacked birefringent sublayers to define respective grating periods. The respective thicknesses of the stacked birefringent sublayers may be less than a wavelength of the light. Related apparatus and methods of operation are also discussed.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An optical element, comprising:
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a plurality of stacked birefringent sublayers configured to alter a direction of propagation of light passing therethrough according to a Bragg condition, wherein the stacked birefringent sublayers respectively comprise local optical axes that vary along respective interfaces between adjacent ones of the stacked birefringent sublayers to define respective grating periods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A diffractive optical element, comprising:
at least one liquid crystal layer having a thickness d, an average refractive index n, and comprising liquid crystal molecule orientations that vary in a direction along a surface thereof to define a grating period Λ
of the diffractive optical element such that a variable Q is greater than 1 for an operational wavelength λ
of light, where Q=2π
λ
d/Λ
2 n.- View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
Specification