Analysis of the diffraction selectivity of refractive index grating in C₆₀-doped nematic liquid crystals (5CB)

A simple method to detect the diffracted beams polarization state by use of Jones calculus is presented. The permanent refractive index phase grating was formed in C₆₀-doped nematic liquid crystal by two interfering laser beams. Both recording beams are p-polarized. The transmission Jones matrix describing the polarization grating created by two p-polarized recording beams is given. The polarization of the first-order diffracted beams; the contributions to the diffraction efficiency were analyzed by using the Jones calculus. The calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The study indicates that this polarization phase grating may be used to control and detect the beam polarization state as functionalized passive optical devices.