Fast electro-optic liquid crystal switch and attenuator with large extinction ratio at 1550 nm

Oliver Hadeler; Mikhail N. Pivnenko; Marcus J. Coles; Martin Grasmann; Jonathan P. Hannington; Terry V. Clapp; Jon V DeGroot Jr.; Harry James Coles

doi:10.1117/12.593106

12 April 2005 Fast electro-optic liquid crystal switch and attenuator with large extinction ratio at 1550 nm

Oliver Hadeler, Mikhail N. Pivnenko, Marcus J. Coles, Martin Grasmann, Jonathan P. Hannington, Terry V. Clapp, Jon V DeGroot Jr., Harry James Coles

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5741, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.593106
Event: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices 2005, 2005, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

We demonstrate an electro-optic switch and a variable attenuator for telecommunication applications at λ=1550nm by employing the ferroelectric and electroclinic properties of an organosiloxane liquid crystal. In the ferroelectric SmC* phase an optical switch has been realised with an extinction ratio of 36dB between crossed polarisers. The switching time was ~200microseconds. In the SmA* phase the analogue nature of the electroclinic effect was employed to obtain a variable attenuator. The maximum attenuation range between crossed polarisers was 35dB for an applied electric field of +-9V/micron. The response time of the device was about 100microseconds, independent of the applied electric field. Both devices where demonstrated in the same 21.5micron thick cell which provided a retardance of λ/2 at λ=1550nm.

Citation Download Citation

Oliver Hadeler, Mikhail N. Pivnenko, Marcus J. Coles, Martin Grasmann, Jonathan P. Hannington, Terry V. Clapp, Jon V DeGroot Jr., and Harry James Coles "Fast electro-optic liquid crystal switch and attenuator with large extinction ratio at 1550 nm", Proc. SPIE 5741, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies, (12 April 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.593106

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