Tunable hybrid optical modes in a bounded cholesteric liquid crystal with a twist defect

Abstract

Coupling between the defect mode of a cholesteric liquid crystal and the localized mode of a cholesteric liquid crystal–phase plate–metal structure is theoretically demonstrated. It is shown that the transmittance spectrum can be tuned by changing the twist-defect angle and helix pitch, which are governed by external factors. The spectra for different circular polarizations of the incident light are different; specifically, at the nondiffracting polarization, there is no defect-mode transmittance peak.