title: Airy beams generated by a binary phase element made of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals.
abstract: Using polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs), an electrically switchable binary phase pattern was fabricated to generate Airy beams through a programmable lithographic system. The right main lobe of the reconstructed Airy beam experienced 1.3 mm transverse deflection within 24 cm propagation distance. With a suitable voltage applied, the binary PDLC pattern can be erased due to the index match between polymers and liquid crystals. This versatile approach can be also used to generate other special beams with electrically tunable capability.
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: X W
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D008027:Light; D008029:Lighting / Q000379:methods*; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers