An analysis of the optical properties of a single-element liquid crystal device

G. M. Storrow, H. F. Gleeson, A. J. Murray

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Phase imaging is employed to visualize the optical properties of an electrically controlled birefringent liquid crystal device with particular emphasis being paid to the electrode edges. The apparatus used is a modified Michelson interferometer and the data are manipulated on a personal computer using commercially available software. The phase variation of the element is in principle discontinuous at the electrode edge. However, a phase gradient is observed that is measured to extend beyond the electrode edges by 0.90 ± 0.05 mm for a directly driven 5 mm × 5 mm square electrode pattern in a 6.2 μm thick device which contains the nematic material E49 approximately 0.75 V above threshold. The phase gradient is discussed in terms of fringing of the electric fields and diffraction at the phase boundary in the element. © 1998 IOP Publishing Ltd.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1411-1423
    Number of pages12
    JournalPure and Applied Optics (Print edition) (United Kingdom)
    Volume7
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Nov 1998

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