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To make geometric phase holograms, the direct-write laser scanner (DWLS ) "prints" using an ultraviolet laser on a super-thin film—only about 50 nanometers thick. The film is made of a photoreactive polymer that responds to both the intensity and the polarization of the light. When the DWLS is done printing, a much thicker layer of liquid crystal is applied, amplifying the pattern on the underlying thin film.
To understand how the DWLS works, you have to understand that it doesn't have an inkjet—it prints light, and it prints in four dimensions. The technology is a new way to manipulate light, with applications from studying alien worlds to making cellphones more energy efficient.Image credit: Michael Escuti, North Carolina State University
