Abstract

Topological lightwave technologies are expected to be applied in a wide range of emerging optical fields such as $q$-plates, one of the most attractive devices in this research area, prepared by controlling the high-resolution alignment patterning of liquid crystals. Here, we present a simple and direct fabrication technique of a $q$-plate that is able to oscillate a vector beam, by employing our newly developed photoalignment concept termed scanning wave photopolymerization (SWaP). SWaP generates precise arbitrary molecular alignment patterns concurrent with irradiated light patterns, successfully fabricating a polymer film with a radial molecular alignment arranged in an array pattern in a single step. This array patterned alignment structure was able to simultaneously generate a vector beam, indicating that SWaP can be utilized for producing such topological lightwave applications.

© 2019 Optical Society of America

Single-step creation of polarization gratings by scanning wave photopolymerization with unpolarized light [Invited]

Kyohei Hisano, Megumi Ota, Miho Aizawa, Norihisa Akamatsu, Christopher J. Barrett, and Atsushi Shishido
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36(5) D112-D118 (2019)

Q-plate technology: a progress review [Invited]

Andrea Rubano, Filippo Cardano, Bruno Piccirillo, and Lorenzo Marrucci
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36(5) D70-D87 (2019)

Using birefringence colors to evaluate a tunable liquid-crystal q-plate

David Marco, María del Mar Sánchez-López, Pascuala García-Martínez, and Ignacio Moreno
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36(5) D34-D41 (2019)

Helical wavefront and beam shape modulated by advanced liquid crystal q-plate fabricated via photoalignment and analyzed by Michelson’s interference

Yao-Han Huang, Ming-Shian Li, Shih-Wei Ko, and Andy Y.-G. Fuh
Appl. Opt. 52(26) 6557-6561 (2013)

Tunable liquid crystal q-plates with arbitrary topological charge

Sergei Slussarenko, Anatoli Murauski, Tao Du, Vladimir Chigrinov, Lorenzo Marrucci, and Enrico Santamato
Opt. Express 19(5) 4085-4090 (2011)