Abstract: Optical beam steering and focusing systems, devices, and methods that utilize diffractive waveplates are improved to produce high efficiency at large beam deflection angles, particularly around normal incidence, by diffractive waveplate architectures comprising a special combination of liquid crystal polymer diffractive waveplate both layers with internal twisted structure and at a layer with uniform structure.

Abstract: The invention provides for lenses fabricated as planar thin film coatings with continuous structure. The lensing action is due to optical axis orientation modulation in the plane of the lens. The lenses of the current invention are fabricated using photoalignment of a liquid crystal polymer wherein the polarization pattern of radiation used for photoalignment is obtained by propagating the light through an optical system comprising a shape-variant nonlinear spatial light polarization modulators.

Abstract: Optical beam steering and focusing systems, devices, and methods that utilize diffractive waveplates are improved to produce high efficiency at large beam deflection angles, particularly around normal incidence, by diffractive waveplate architectures comprising a special combination of liquid crystal polymer diffractive waveplate both layers with internal twisted structure and at a layer with uniform structure.

Abstract: The invention provides for lenses fabricated as planar thin film coatings with continuous structure. The lensing action is due to optical axis orientation modulation in the plane of the lens. The lenses of the current invention are fabricated using photoalignment of a liquid crystal polymer wherein the polarization pattern of radiation used for photoalignment is obtained by propagating the light through an optical system comprising a shape-variant nonlinear spatial light polarization modulators.

Abstract: Cycloidal boundary conditions for aligning liquid crystalline materials are obtained by mechanical rubbing of a polymer coating. The rubbing is performed by a rubbing head rotating around an axis perpendicular to the rubbing plane while the alignment polymer film is being translated across the rubbing film such as only a linear portion of the alignment film touches the rubbing film at any given time.

Abstract: The invention provides for lenses fabricated as planar thin film coatings with continuous structure. The lensing action is due to optical axis orientation modulation in the plane of the lens. The lenses of the current invention are fabricated using photoalignment of a liquid crystal polymer wherein the polarization pattern of radiation used for photoalignment is obtained by propagating the light through an optical system comprising a shape-variant nonlinear spatial light polarization modulators.

Abstract: Method for fabrication of vector vortex waveplates of improved quality due to reduced singularity size and widened spectral band, the method comprising creating a boundary condition for vortex orientation pattern of a liquid crystal polymer on a substrate using materials with reversible photoalignment, equalizing exposure energy over the area of the waveplate by redistributing the energy of radiation used for photoalignment from the center of the beam to its peripheries, and using vector vortex waveplate as a linear-to-axial polarization converter. Fabrication of spectrally broadband vector vortex waveplates further comprises two or more liquid crystal polymer layers with opposite sign of twist.

Abstract: Method for jamming or affecting the quality of photo and video recording, the method comprising illuminating the area, collecting light reflected or scattered from optical components such as camera lenses, amplifying them, and reversing the amplified beams back to the camera with phase conjugating mirror. The method may further comprise image acquisition and processing for identifying unwanted optical components and sensors, and electronically pointing and focusing a laser beam on said components and sensors.

Abstract: Method for jamming or affecting the quality of photo and video recording, the method comprising illuminating the area, collecting light reflected or scattered from optical components such as camera lenses, amplifying them, and reversing the amplified beams back to the camera with phase conjugating mirror. The method may further comprise image acquisition and processing for identifying unwanted optical components and sensors, and electronically pointing and focusing a laser beam on said components and sensors.

Abstract: Cycloidal boundary conditions for aligning liquid crystalline materials are obtained by mechanical rubbing of a polymer coating. The rubbing is performed by a rubbing head rotating around an axis perpendicular to the rubbing plane while the alignment polymer film is being translated across the rubbing film such as only a linear portion of the alignment film touches the rubbing film at any given time.

Abstract: The invention provides for lenses fabricated as planar thin film coatings with continuous structure. The lensing action is due to optical axis orientation modulation in the plane of the lens. The lenses of the current invention are fabricated using photoalignment of a liquid crystal polymer wherein the polarization pattern of radiation used for photoalignment is obtained by propagating the light through an optical system comprising a shape-variant nonlinear spatial light polarization modulators.

Abstract: Method for fabrication of vector vortex waveplates of improved quality due to reduced singularity size and widened spectral band, the method comprising creating a boundary condition for vortex orientation pattern of a liquid crystal polymer on a substrate using materials with reversible photoalignment, equalizing exposure energy over the area of the waveplate by redistributing the energy of radiation used for photoalignment from the center of the beam to its peripheries, and using vector vortex waveplate as a linear-to-axial polarization converter. Fabrication of spectrally broadband vector vortex waveplates further comprises two or more liquid crystal polymer layers with opposite sign of twist.

Abstract: Method for jamming or affecting the quality of photo and video recording, the method comprising illuminating the area, collecting light reflected or scattered from optical components such as camera lenses, amplifying them, and reversing the amplified beams back to the camera with phase conjugating mirror. The method may further comprise image acquisition and processing for identifying unwanted optical components and sensors, and electronically pointing and focusing a laser beam on said components and sensors.

Abstract: The invention provides for lenses fabricated as planar thin film coatings with continuous structure. The lensing action is due to optical axis orientation modulation in the plane of the lens. The lenses of the current invention are fabricated using photoalignment of a liquid crystal polymer wherein the polarization pattern of radiation used for photoalignment is obtained by propagating the light through an optical system comprising a shape-variant nonlinear spatial light polarization modulators.

Abstract: Method for fabrication of vector vortex waveplates of improved quality due to reduced singularity size and widened spectral band, the method comprising creating a boundary condition for vortex orientation pattern of a liquid crystal polymer on a substrate using materials with reversible photoalignment, equalizing exposure energy over the area of the waveplate by redistributing the energy of radiation used for photoalignment from the center of the beam to its peripheries, and using vector vortex waveplate as a linear-to-axial polarization converter. Fabrication of spectrally broadband vector vortex waveplates further comprises two or more liquid crystal polymer layers with opposite sign of twist.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens incorporating clearly identifiable, highly visible embedded labels that are not visible to the wearer or others when placed on the eye may be utilized to allow an individual to easily distinguish between the normal state of the lens and the inverted state of the lens as well as serve any number of functions, including acting as a brand label, a prescription label or as a cosmetic enhancer. The embedded label comprises holographic recordings revealed only in transmitted light.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens incorporating clearly identifiable, highly visible embedded labels that are not visible to the wearer or others when placed on the eye may be utilized to allow an individual to easily distinguish between the normal state of the lens and the inverted state of the lens as well as serve any number of functions, including acting as a brand label, a prescription label or as a cosmetic enhancer. The embedded label comprises holographic recordings revealed only in transmitted light.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens incorporating clearly identifiable, highly visible embedded labels that are not visible to the wearer or others when placed on the eye may be utilized to allow an individual to easily distinguish between the normal state of the lens and the inverted state of the lens as well as serve any number of functions, including acting as a brand label, a prescription label or as a cosmetic enhancer. The embedded label comprises holographic recordings revealed only in transmitted light.

Abstract: Cycloidal boundary conditions for aligning liquid crystalline materials are obtained by mechanical rubbing of a polymer coating. The rubbing is performed by a rubbing head rotating around an axis perpendicular to the rubbing plane while the alignment polymer film is being translated across the rubbing film such as only a linear portion of the alignment film touches the rubbing film at any given time.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens incorporating clearly identifiable, highly visible embedded labels that are not visible to the wearer or others when placed on the eye may be utilized to allow an individual to easily distinguish between the normal state of the lens and the inverted state of the lens as well as serve any number of functions, including acting as a brand label, a prescription label or as a cosmetic enhancer. The embedded label comprises holographic recordings revealed only in transmitted light.