Jaka Pišljar (Author), Miha Ravnik (Author)

Abstract

We demonstrate that birefringent profiles of double-twist cylinders, found in some chiral nematic systems such as blue phases, can perform as polarization-selective microlenses and waveguides in the regime of negative birefringence. Specifically, we solve Maxwell’s equations using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, to simulate light propagation through double-twist cylinder birefringent structures. We show that, in case of negative material birefringence, azimuthally polarized beams experience lensing which can further be extended to waveguiding in double-twist cylinders. Lensing and waveguiding efficiency are shown to be strongly dependent on the ratio between the width of the double-twist cylinder profile and the beam width. We further characterize waveguiding in terms of losses, which are investigated in case of straight as well as curved double-twist cylinders. More generally, this work is a contribution to the design and development of (soft) birefringent profiles for optical and photonic applications.

Keywords

optika;fotonika;dvolomnost;nematski tekoči kristali;lečenje;valovodi;optics;photonics;birefringence;nematic liquid crystals;lensing;waveguiding;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization: UL FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
UDC: 535.5
COBISS: 3242852 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 1094-4087
Views: 562
Downloads: 163
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Other data

Secondary language: Slovenian
Secondary keywords: optika;fotonika;dvolomnost;nematski tekoči kristali;lečenje;valovodi;
Type (COBISS): Article
Pages: str. 26327-26338
Volume: ǂVol. ǂ26
Issue: ǂno. ǂ20
Chronology: 2018
DOI: 10.1364/OE.26.026327
ID: 13153726