Switchable Diffraction Gratings Based on the Periodic Binary Alignment of a Nematic Liquid Crystal

Abstract

The patterned photoalignment of nematic liquid crystal is used to produce one-dimensional diffraction gratings. The effect the orientation of molecules in adjacent liquid crystal domains has on the diffraction properties of the fabricated binary structures is established. Diffraction gratings based on the binary alignment of nematic liquid crystal are characterized by electrically switchable optical properties and control the spatial and polarization characteristics of light beams effectively.