title: Use of principal states of polarization of a liquid crystal device to achieve a dynamical modulation of broadband beams.
abstract: A spatially resolved polarization switcher operating over a bandwidth of 200 nm is demonstrated. The system is based on liquid crystal technology and no specific-purpose birefringent element is required. The procedure is founded on the polarization mode dispersion theory of optical fibers, which provides a convenient framework for the design of broadband polarization systems. Our device benefits from the high resolution of off-the-shelf twisted nematic liquid crystal displays and is well suited for spatial modulation of the intensity of broadband beams, such as those coming from few-cycle femtosecond lasers.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Física, GROC-UJI, E12071 Castelló, Spain. vduran@sg.uji.es
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clemente
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lancis