title: Multiplex diffraction from functionalized polymer liquid crystals and polarization conversion.
abstract: We report on polymer liquid crystals with periodically oriented mesogenic side chains and demonstrate that the resulting two-dimensional polarization gratings multiplex-diffract the laser beam and convert the polarization state at the same time. Two-dimensional diffraction patterns with various kinds of polarization states can be successfully generated by designing a combination of one-dimensional polarization gratings. This study is a considerable advance towards the realization of highly functionalized passive optical devices that can control both the beam propagation direction and the polarization state.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Emoto
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawatsuki
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa