Abstract

We report on a soft route toward optical vortex coronagraphy based on self-engineered electrically tunable vortex masks made of liquid crystal topological defects. These results suggest that a nature-assisted technological approach to the fabrication of complex phase masks could be useful in optical imaging whenever optical phase singularities are at play.

© 2016 Optical Society of America

Self-eclipsing: alignment-free vortex coronagraphy

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