EFFECTS OF MATERIAL SYSTEMS ON THE POLARIZATION BEHAVIOR OF HOLOGRAPHIC POLYMER-DISPERSED LIQUID-CRYSTAL GRATINGS

This study has investigated the effects of the material systems involv ed in the fabrication processes on the polarization behavior of a volu me holographic grating. The diffraction efficiency of the gratings fab ricated using prepolymer/liquid crystal mixtures shows strong dependen ce on the polarization of incoming light, Depending on the materials u sed in the formation of a grating, the diffraction properties are such that either p-or s-polarized light is strongly diffracted while the l ight with the other polarization is very weakly diffracted. The magnit ude of the dependence on the polarization is greatly affected by the h ype of monomers, liquid crystals and substrates. The comparison of var ious types of monomers added to the base prepolymer mixtures: two dist inctly different types of liquid crystals and glass slides and indium- tin oxide (ITO) coated glass as substrates was carried out using polye ster-based and urethane-based oligomers.