Fast Optical Switching in Polymer Waveguide Using Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal

Abstract

Multiple high-speed optical wireless access terminals using vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and receiver arrays are proposed on the basis of an optical micro cell (OMC) system. Based on this concept, data multibeam directions can be controlled fastly using a single lens, a VCSEL array, electronic matrix switches, a hub-node phase locked loop (PLL)-large scale integration (LSI), and an end-node laser diode (LD)/photodiode (PD)-receiver array.

Optoelectronic router based on a liquid crystal waveguide

“…On the other hand, in other state stable, an additional it phase shift, between the two propagating modes in the active region is needed to steer the light on the other side of the output. The desired phase shift is reached by means the variation of the effective refractive index of guided modes due to molecular reorientation of liquid crystals induced by an electrical field [20][21][22][23][24][25]. By doing so, it is possible to route the input optical power into one ofthe ports ofthe subsequent Y branch by simply switching the electrical field applied on the liquid crystal.…”

Integrated optic devices using liquid crystals: design and fabrication issues

“…The main advantage in using polymeric waveguides consists of depositing a polymeric buffer layer between indium tin oxide (ITO) layer used for the electrodes and the optical waveguide in order to reduce losses due to ITO absorption especially at wavelengths of C-band of interest for optical communications 20 . Modulation of light amplitude was also demonstrated by employing an active FLC cladding overlaying an optical waveguide 21,22 . An integrated optical switch was demonstrated in which a light beam in a polymer waveguide can be switched towards either of two distinct output ports by means of total internal reflection by changing refractive index of NLC used as overlayer 23 .…”