Phototunable sub-wavelength grating and 3D photonic crystal infiltrated with photosensitive nonlinear liquid crystal

Summary form only given. Nematic liquid crystals (NLC) possess very broadband birefringence and transparency [from 400 nm to 20 /spl mu/m], and extraordinarily large optical nonlinearity. Conventional methods of aligning NLCs employ surfactant and rubbed polymer coating on the cell windows. In this presentation, we demonstrate that similar aligning action may also be engendered by surface relief [1D and 2D] gratings inscribed on the glass windows. Furthermore, these cells exhibit all-optical diffraction capability.