Liquid crystal optical switch configured to reduce polarization dependent loss
US8064036B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 2009 |
| Grant date | Nov 22, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/58
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical device has the structure to perform switching and attenuation of an optical beam with reduced polarization dependent loss (PDL). The optical device includes a birefringent displacer and two liquid crystal (LC) structures. The first LC structure is used to condition s-polarized components of the optical beam and the second LC structure is used to condition p-polarized components of the optical beam. Each LC structure has a separate control electrode so that the s-polarized components of the optical beam and the p-polarized components of the optical beam can be conditioned differently and in such a manner that reduces PDL. The optical device may be configured for processing multiple input light beams, such as the multiple wavelength channels de-multiplexed from a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.