photonic devices
Low power photonic devices based on electrically controlled nematic liquid crystals embedded in poly(dimethylsiloxane)
We present a new class of photonic devices in which light is confined in channel waveguides, named LC:PDMS, made of a nematic liquid crystal (LC) core in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) flexible substrates. Monte Carlo techniques have been used to study LC orientation. Homeotropic alignment of LC molecules has been observed without any applied electric field. A theoretical study of LC orientation under an electric field between coplanar gold electrodes deposited by electroplating has been carried.
Lattice spin simulations of low power photonic liquid-crystal devices
We have performed a detailed Monte Carlo study of photonic devices based on nematic liquid crystal infiltrated in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and in Silicon-Organic Hybrid (SOH) channels, to be used as waveguides. The simulations of a simple model of these slot waveguide shifters have shown the effect of an applied electric external field in two cases with different surface alignments, i.e. planar SOH and homeotropic PDMS. We have investigated the effect of the external field on the optical transmission and the ordering across the cell.
Photonic integration based on liquid crystals for low driving voltage optical switches
This paper reports on optical waveguides using liquid crystals (LC) as core. Such optical waveguides have the advantage to be controlled by a low voltage electric field or by using an optical beam by exploiting the highly efficient electro-optic or nonlinear optical effects, respectively. Optical switches based on LC embedded in silicon grooves have been reported with on–off contrast over 40 dB by applying about 8 V.