Ferroelectric liquid crystal optical waveguide switches using the double-refraction effect

Author

Gros, E. ; Dupont, Laurent

Author_Institution

Dept. of Opt., Ecole Nat. Superieure des Telecommun. de Bretagne, Brest, France

Volume

13

Issue

2

fYear

2001

fDate

2/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

115

Lastpage

117

Abstract

We propose an optical waveguide device with a bistable ferroelectric liquid crystal as the core. The liquid crystal electrooptic effect device induces a double-refraction phenomenon and the associated optical beamsteering provides a very simple 1×N optical switch. Beamsteering has been experimentally demonstrated and characterized. It exhibits very large angles (/spl phi/=40-60 for respective wavelengths /spl lambda/=0.850-0.632 μm). In the same way, we propose a design that includes polymer integrated lenses for a compact device with a large number of outputs.

Keywords

beam steering; electro-optical modulation; electro-optical switches; ferroelectric liquid crystals; integrated optics; lenses; light refraction; liquid crystal devices; optical bistability; optical design techniques; optical fabrication; optical polymers; optical waveguide components; spatial light modulators; 0.850 to 0.632 mum; 1/spl times/N optical switch; bistable ferroelectric liquid crystal; compact device; design; double-refraction effect; double-refraction phenomenon; ferroelectric liquid crystal optical waveguide switches; liquid crystal electrooptic effect device; optical beamsteering; optical waveguide device; polymer integrated lenses; Electrooptic effects; Ferroelectric materials; Liquid crystal devices; Liquid crystal polymers; Liquid crystals; Liquid waveguides; Optical bistability; Optical devices; Optical switches; Optical waveguides;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.910506

Filename

910506