Photoswitch

Abstract

Abstract PURPOSE:To obtain a photoswitch which can electronically changeover the optical transmission path, is small in size, has a long life, consumes less electricity and has low loss by impressing an electric field to a nematic liquid crystal having optical anisotropy from the outside. CONSTITUTION:The molecular long axis of a nematic liquid crystal 11 is preliminarily arranged in such a way that said axis parallels in the advancing direction of a light beam 15 in the state A in which the voltage is not impressed. Said axis is arranged perpendicular to the impressed electric field direction in the state B in which the voltage is impressed. The non-polarized light beam 15 which is made incident from an optical fiber 12 transmits the liquid crystal 11 and is then condensed at the position of an optical fiber 13 and is coupled to the fiber 13 in the state A. The arranging direction of the molecular long axis of the liquid crystal 11 is perpendicular to the electric field in the state B and thereafter the light is totally reflected by the surface of the liquid crystall 11 and is then condensed to the position of a fiber 14. The beam 15 which is made incident from the fiber 12 is eventually coupled to the fiber 14. The non-polarized light beam transmitted through one optical fiber is thus changed over to either of the other two fibers in a small loss state by turning on and off the voltage to be impressed to the liquid crystal in the above-mentioned way.

Inventors

• 👤 Kumio Kasahara
• 👤 笠原　久美雄
• 👤 Takashi Ito
• 👤 伊東　尚
• 👤 Gonichi Hotta
• 👤 堀田　権一

Bibliographic Details