Design and demonstration of a vertical SSFLC coupler switch

Author

Ciminelli, C. ; D´Orazio, A. ; Petruzzelli, V. ; d´Alessandro, A. ; Campoli, F. ; Maltese, P.

Author_Institution

Dipt. di Elettrotecnica ed Elettronica, Politecnico di Bari, Italy

Volume

2

fYear

1998

fDate

18-20 May 1998

Firstpage

1395

Abstract

In this paper, we report the results of the analysis and experimentation on a thin-film surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid-crystal (SSFLC) electro-optic waveguide switch. The optical coupling between a pair of planar waveguides is controlled by application of voltage to SSFLC film. The switch design, carried out by using beam propagation method (BPM) technique, has shown that a coupling length less than 60 /spl mu/m with a crosstalk of about -21 dB with a refractive index change at the surface /spl Delta/n=0.013, a FLC layer with a thickness of 2 /spl mu/m and cone axis tilted at about 19/spl deg/ from the propagation direction of the lightwave.

Keywords

electro-optical switches; ferroelectric liquid crystals; liquid crystal devices; optical crosstalk; optical design techniques; optical films; optical planar waveguides; optical waveguide theory; refractive index; 2 mum; 60 mum; beam propagation method; cone axis tilt; coupling length; crosstalk; optical coupling; planar waveguides; propagation direction; refractive index change; switch design; thin-film surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid-crystal electro-optic waveguide switch; vertical SSFLC coupler switch design; Ferroelectric materials; Liquid waveguides; Optical coupling; Optical planar waveguides; Optical propagation; Optical surface waves; Optical switches; Optical waveguides; Surface waves; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Electrotechnical Conference, 1998. MELECON 98., 9th Mediterranean

Conference_Location

Tel-Aviv, Israel

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3879-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MELCON.1998.699466

Filename

699466