Complex liquid crystal alignments accomplished by Talbot self-imaging

We introduce Talbot self-imaging into photoalignment technique to record Talbot carpet into an LC cell. Through the design of the setup, different images are presented on a single sample. By taking a simple 1D grating mask as an example, an LC cell with complex alignment structures applicable as Mach-Zehnder interferometer arrays is demonstrated. Further mask design permits feasibility of various structures which are practicable for many applications. This method may facilitate the fabrication of photonic applications such as optical communication, computing and sensing, etc.