Propagation of linearly polarized light beams in a nematic liquid crystal cell with distinguished regions of different molecular orientation has been analyzed. Specifically, combination of the planar/homogenic and homeotropic alignment, forming thus spatially limited regions characterized by a different LC molecular orientation, has been tested, as achieved by means of the photo-orientation and photo-polymerization processes, independently. An influence of molecular orientation on the light beam propagation has been checked for different directions of the linear polarization. Thanks to the molecular reorientation induced by the low frequency external electric field and also to the reorientational nonlinearity taking place in NLCs, propagation direction of the light beam can be additionally controlled by the electric bias and/or optical power, respectively. Proposed structural solutions and techniques, related to the photo-orientation and photo-polymerization processes described in this communication, give rise to the novel LC geometries and structures. The latter act as promising candidates for new practical photonic applications as they are expected to be of a particular importance for integrated optic elements and devices.

In this work studies on propagation properties of a microstructured polymer optical fibre infiltrated with a nematic liquid crystal are presented. Specifically, the influence of an infiltration method on the LC molecular alignment inside fibre air-channels and, thus, on light guidance is discussed. Switching between propagation mechanisms, namely the transition from modified total internal reflection (mTIR) to the photonic bandgap effect obtained by varying external temperature is also demonstrated.