Ferroelectric liquid crystals with sub-wavelength helix nanostructure pitch for the generation of axial-symmetric vortex light fields

Experimental results of the formation of axially symmetric vortex light fields with a frequency of up to 2 kilohertz are presented. The results were obtained by using a 12-sector spiral phase plate (SPP) based on a planar-oriented layer of a 50 μm-thick ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC), having the spiral nanostructure pitch substantially less than 100 nm