Fabrication of a reverse twisted nematic liquid-crystal grating via holographic writing

Abstract

By use of a photo-isomerization process occurring inside an azo-polymer alignment layer, a polarization modulation is recorded on an azo-benzene-containing liquid crystal cell in a reflection holographic configuration. A polarization analysis measurement of diffracted orders shows that the resulting structure is a reverse twisted liquid crystal grating. The electro-optic tunability of the diffraction efficiency is also demonstrated.