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Liquid crystal waveguide having two or more control voltages for controlling polarized light

  • US 8,463,080 B1
  • Filed: 06/30/2006
  • Issued: 06/11/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2004
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A waveguide for controllably altering an optical phase delay of TE polarized light and TM polarized light traveling along a propagation direction through the waveguide, comprising:

  • a core for guiding the light through the waveguide;

    a bottom cladding adjacent the core, the bottom cladding defining a plan of the waveguide;

    at least one cladding adjacent the core, wherein the at least one cladding has liquid crystal molecules disposed therein;

    an alignment layer for aligning the liquid crystal molecules;

    at least one ground electrode;

    a first control electrode on the core, the first control electrode controllably altering at least a portion of the liquid crystal molecules to rotate in a plane perpendicular to both a direction of propagation of light and the plane to controllably alter the optical phase delay of the TE polarized light and the TM polarized light traveling through the waveguide in response to receiving a first voltage; and

    a second control electrode on the same core, the second control electrode controllably altering at least a portion of the liquid crystal molecules to rotate in a plane parallel to the direction of propagation of light and perpendicular to the plane to controllably alter the optical phase delay of the TM polarized light traveling through the waveguide without substantially altering the optical phase delay of the TE polarized light in response to receiving a second voltage; and

    wherein the first control electrode is positioned adjacent a first alignment region and the second control electrode is positioned adjacent a second alignment region, the first region initially biasing liquid crystals therein into a first alignment with respect to the direction of propagation of light, and the second region initially biasing liquid crystals therein into a second alignment with respect to the direction of propagation of light, the first control electrode optically in series with the second control electrode.

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