Tunable wavelength filter using nano-sized droplets of liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer
First Claim
1. A tunable wavelength-selective filter of a Fabry-Perot etalon type, said tunable wavelength-selective filter comprising:
- a first layer including a transparent electrode and an optical mirror layer;
a third layer including a transparent electrode and an optical mirror layer; and
a second layer which is composed of an electro-optic material whose refractive index changes depending on electric field, and sandwiched between said first layer and said third layer, wherein said electro-optic material whose refractive index changes depending on electric field is composed by liquid crystal droplets dispersed in a polyene polythiol polymer which contains plasticizer, said liquid crystal droplets equal to or less than 150 nm in diameter consist of nematic liquid crystal droplets.
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Abstract
Fabry-Perot etalon type tunable wavelength-selective filter comprises: a first layer including a transparent electrode and an optical mirror layer; a third layer including a transparent electrode and an optical mirror layer; and a second layer which is composed of a material with a refractive index variable with electric field, and sandwiched between the first layer and the third layer, wherein the material having a refractive index variable with electric field is composed by dispersing liquid crystal droplets equal to or less than 150 nm in diameter in a light transmissive characteristic medium such as a polymer or silica glass, and by adding plasticizer therein. In this structure, the optical mirror layer consists of a dielectric multilayer mirror with an optical reflectance of equal to or more than 95% for 1.5 μm wavelength light, and the glass substrate has a finishing surface precision of equal to or less than λ/10, where λ is a wavelength of light that traverses the tunable wavelength-selective filter.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A tunable wavelength-selective filter of a Fabry-Perot etalon type, said tunable wavelength-selective filter comprising:
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a first layer including a transparent electrode and an optical mirror layer;
a third layer including a transparent electrode and an optical mirror layer; and
a second layer which is composed of an electro-optic material whose refractive index changes depending on electric field, and sandwiched between said first layer and said third layer, wherein said electro-optic material whose refractive index changes depending on electric field is composed by liquid crystal droplets dispersed in a polyene polythiol polymer which contains plasticizer, said liquid crystal droplets equal to or less than 150 nm in diameter consist of nematic liquid crystal droplets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification