Geometrical optics approach to the obliquely illuminated nematic liquid crystal diffraction grating.
The grating effect, observed when a homogeneously aligned and periodically distorted nematic liquid crystal layer (in the bend-spaly mode) is obliquely illuminated, is theoretically considered from a geometrical optics point of view. The basic characteristics of the effect, namely, the much more intense fringes obtained from a weakly distorted layer, compared with those formed in the normal incidence case, the asymmetry of the fringes, and the equal importance of the even- and odd-order fringes are revealed. Also, a formula is derived which satisfactorily predicts the dependence of the fringe power on the distortion amplitude of the nematic layer.
H M
HM
Zenginoglou
J A
JA
Kosmopoulos