Twisted phase gratings induced by photoregulated mesogenic molecules on the surface of photoreactive polymer liquid crystal film

Abstract

Three-dimensional phase gratings with twisted structures were self-organized by photoregulated mesogenic molecules on the surface of photocrosslinkable polymer liquid crystal film. The molecules are selectively photoreacted only at the surface of the film under the polarization holographic illumination, and the resultant photocrosslinked mesogenic molecules induce the three-dimensional twisted gratings in the film during annealing process. The diffraction properties were well explained by means of Jones calculus and diffraction theory.