High-resolution photoaligned liquid-crystal micropolarizer array for polarization imaging in visible spectrum

We report a superior high-resolution micropolarizer array fabrication technology that combines a linear polarizer with a micropatterned liquid-crystal (LC) cell. A 2 mu m pitch is achieved by using UV light to define the orientation of the micropolarizer elements. Reported experimental results validate the concept of high-performance photoaligned LC micropolarizer arrays with major principal transmittance of similar to 80% and extinction ratio as high as similar to 3200 (35 dB). (C) 2009 Optical Society of America