On optical rotation and selective transmission in ambichiral sculptured thin films

Abstract

The optical rotation and selective transmission spectra of ambichiral sculptured thin films were calculated using the transfer matrix method. The results of optical modeling showed that at lower angular rotations the optical characteristics of ambichiral sculptured thin films are the same as chiral sculptured thin films. At higher angular rotations, two circular Bragg regimes appear. An ambichiral sculptured thin film in one regime reflects left circularly polarized (LCP) light and in a second regime reflects right circularly polarized (RCP) light. The optical properties of ambichiral sculptured thin films with twist and layer defects as spectral holes are also reported.

Keywords:

• sculptured thin film
• optical rotation

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge support from the University of Qom.