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Optical switches using cholesteric or chiral nematic liquid crystals and method of using same

  • US 4,991,924 A
  • Filed: 05/19/1989
  • Issued: 02/12/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An optical switch comprising:

  • at least a first layer of a cholesteric or chiral nematic liquid crystal for decomposing an incident light beam into first and second circularly polarized components, one of which is transmitted by said layer, and the second of which is reflected by said layer;

    first and second reflector means disposed, one on each side of said layer, for reflecting both of said circularly polarized components back toward said layer to recombine them into a transmitted light beam; and

    ,means to selectively switch the direction of said transmitted beam comprising means to selectively switch the circular polarization sense of said polarized components before they are recombined in said liquid crystal layer.

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