Abstract

The cell that holds the liquid crystal is comprised of several material layers with varying functionalities. These layers, which the light must propagate through, have various indices of refraction. The result is an array of interfaces each of which causes minute reflections that add coherently with the original beam. Consider two interfaces surrounding a birefringent medium. The incident beam nominally transmits through the first interface, through the medium, reflects off the “mirror” surface, then returns through the medium and exits back through the first interface. As the light from the primary pass propagates through the first interface to exit the medium, a small reflection returns to experience a second pass through the birefringent medium. Similarly, as the field initially impinges on the first interface, a small portion is reflected back without any birefringent phase accrual.

© 2003 Optical Society of America