PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | August 26, 2008
Proc. SPIE. 7093, Advanced Wavefront Control: Methods, Devices, and Applications VI
KEYWORDS: Diffraction, Beam steering, Polarization, Scattering, Polymers, Wave plates, Liquid crystals, Transmittance, Binary data, Diffraction gratings
We introduce and demonstrate a compact, nonmechanical beam steering device based on liquid Crystal (LC)
Polarization Gratings (PGs). Directional control of collimated light is essential for free-space optical communications,
remote sensing, and related technologies. However, current beam steering methods often require moving
parts, or are limited to small angle operation, offer low optical throughput, and are constrained by size and
weight. We employ multiple layers of LCPGs to achieve wide-angle (> ±40°), coarse beam steering of 1550
nm light in a remarkably thin package. LCPGs can be made in switchable or polymer materials, and possess
a continuous periodic birefringence profile, that renders several compelling properties (experimentally realized):
~ 100% experimental diffraction efficiency into a single order, high polarization sensitivity, and very low scattering.
Light may be controlled within and between the zero- and first-diffraction orders by the handedness of
the incident light and potentially by voltage applied to the PG itself. We implement a coarse steering device
with several LCPGs matched with active halfwave LC variable retarders. Here, we present the preliminary
experimental results and discuss the unique capability of this wide-angle steering.
