Circular polarization interferometry: circularly polarized modes of cholesteric liquid crystals

We describe a novel polarization interferometer which permits the determination of the refractive indices for circularly-polarized light. It is based on a Jamin-Lebedeff interferometer, modified with waveplates, and permits us to experimentally determine the refractive indices n(L) and n(R) of the respectively left- and right-circularly polarized modes in a cholesteric liquid crystal. Whereas optical rotation measurements only determine the circular birefringence, i.e. the difference (n(L) - n(R)), the interferometer also permits the determination of their absolute values. We report refractive indices of a cholesteric liquid crystal in the region of selective (Bragg) reflection as a function of temperature. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America
Author(s): | Sanchez-Castillo, A. and Eslami, Sahand and Giesselmann, F. and Fischer, Peer. |
Journal: | OPTICS EXPRESS |
Volume: | 22 |
Number (issue): | 25 |
Pages: | 31227-31236 |
Year: | 2014 |
Bibtex Type: | Article (article) |
DOI: | 10.1364/OE.22.031227 |
Electronic Archiving: | grant_archive |
BibTex
@article{ISI:000346368800115, title = {Circular polarization interferometry: circularly polarized modes of cholesteric liquid crystals}, journal = {OPTICS EXPRESS}, abstract = {We describe a novel polarization interferometer which permits the determination of the refractive indices for circularly-polarized light. It is based on a Jamin-Lebedeff interferometer, modified with waveplates, and permits us to experimentally determine the refractive indices n(L) and n(R) of the respectively left- and right-circularly polarized modes in a cholesteric liquid crystal. Whereas optical rotation measurements only determine the circular birefringence, i.e. the difference (n(L) - n(R)), the interferometer also permits the determination of their absolute values. We report refractive indices of a cholesteric liquid crystal in the region of selective (Bragg) reflection as a function of temperature. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America}, volume = {22}, number = {25}, pages = {31227-31236}, year = {2014}, slug = {isi-000346368800115}, author = {Sanchez-Castillo, A. and Eslami, Sahand and Giesselmann, F. and Fischer, Peer.} }