Open AccessContinuously tunable devices based on electrical control of dual-frequency liquid crystal filled photonic bandgap fibers
Author(s) -
Lara Scolari,
Thomas Tanggaard Alkeskjold,
Jesper Riishede,
Anders Bjarklev,
David S. Hermann,
Anawati Anawati,
M.D. Nielsen,
Paolo Bassi
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.007483
Subject(s) - materials science , photonic crystal , birefringence , optics , liquid crystal , optoelectronics , photonic crystal fiber , photonics , tilt (camera) , band gap , optical fiber , wavelength , physics , mechanical engineering , engineering
We present an electrically controlled photonic bandgap fiber device obtained by infiltrating the air holes of a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a dual-frequency liquid crystal (LC) with pre-tilted molecules. Compared to previously demonstrated devices of this kind, the main new feature of this one is its continuous tunability due to the fact that the used LC does not exhibit reverse tilt domain defects and threshold effects. Furthermore, the dual-frequency features of the LC enables electrical control of the spectral position of the bandgaps towards both shorter and longer wavelengths in the same device. We investigate the dynamics of this device and demonstrate a birefringence controller based on this principle.