eli5: what is a Pancharatnam-Berry Optical Element?
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It’s an electrically controllable device which can be used to bend light rays. In effect, it’s an electronically controllable lens, which can be switched from being just like a flat piece of glass, to being a weak magnifier, or strong magnifier very quickly and under electronic control.
Liquid crystals are commonly used in electronic displays, because they can be used to electronically control a light beam. In a computer monitor, a liquid crystal is placed in front of a lamp. The opacity of the liquid crystal can be adjusted electronically to make the screen brighter or darker.
Pancharatnam-Berry devices are similar to liquid crystals (in fact, many are liquid crystals) but instead of blocking light (actually “twisting” of the light) with electronic control, a PB device bends the light rays like a lens. The precise amount of bending can be electronically adjusted, allowing the PB device to simulate almost any kind of lens, and almost instantly switch between different types of lens.
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