Formation of Singular and Bessel Light Beams using Electrically Controlled Liquid Crystal Diffractive Elements

Abstract

A new method for formation of singular and Bessel light beams of different orders with the use of electrically controlled liquid crystal (LC) diffractive optical elements has been proposed and experimentally implemented. Formed elements are able to change the polarization and phase structure of an initial incident plane wave due to anisotropic modulation of the refractive index inside the layer of nematic LC. The orientation of LC molecules is defined by previously illuminated photopolymeric layers on the substrates of LC cell.