Open AccessElectrically tunable liquid crystal waveguide attenuators
Author(s) -
Dong Cai,
Shan Chi Nien,
Hua Kung Chiu,
Chii Chang Chen,
Chien Chieh Lee
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.19.011890
Subject(s) - materials science , attenuator (electronics) , optics , cladding (metalworking) , liquid crystal , attenuation , optical attenuator , optoelectronics , wavelength , waveguide , electrode , capillary action , polarization (electrochemistry) , voltage , refractive index , silicon , optical fiber , multi mode optical fiber , chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , metallurgy , composite material
The attenuator for the wavelength at 1550 nm is fabricated by using the capillary effect to infiltrate liquid crystal (LC) E7 into hollow waveguides (HWGs) on silicon substrate with SiO2 cladding layer. The length of the waveguide is 0.4 cm. The device can be operated with relatively low driving voltage below 5 V(pp) with the distance between two electrodes to be 9 μm. The light attenuation of the device can be over 30 dB. The performance of the device is independent of the polarization states of the input light.