Electrically switchable cylindrical Fresnel lens based on holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals using a Michelson interferometer

TL;DR

This paper presents a simple method to fabricate electrically switchable cylindrical Fresnel lenses using holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals, capable of rapid, reversible focusing with adjustable focal lengths.

Contribution

It introduces a novel fabrication approach using a Michelson interferometer for creating switchable cylindrical Fresnel lenses with tunable focal lengths in a single setup.

Findings

Fresnel zone plate acts as a cylindrical lens focusing light in one dimension.

Switching response time is approximately 1 ms.

Focusing property can be eliminated with an electric field of 6 Vrms/μm.

Abstract

Fabricating an electrically switchable cylindrical Fresnel lens based on holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (H-PDLC) using a Michelson interferometer is reported. Simplicity of the method and possibility of fabricating different focal length lenses in a single set up are among the advantages of the method. It is demonstrated that the Fresnel structured zone plate acts as a cylindrical lens and focuses light in one dimension. Its electro-optical switching properties are also studied and it is found that at an applied electric field of E=6 Vrms/{\mu}m across the sample, focusing property of the sample eliminates with a response of about 1 ms in a reversible manner.