摘要 |
A fiberoptic liquid crystal on-off switch and variable attenuator is provided. The end facets of two optical fiber cores in a sleeve, a birefringent crystal, a quarter-pitch GRIN lens, a liquid crystal cell and a mirror element are arranged and oriented with respect to each other so that light from the first optical fiber core passes through, and back from, the first birefringent crystal, the GRIN lens, the liquid crystal cell and the mirror element into the second optical fiber core when the liquid crystal cell is in a first state. When the liquid crystal cell is in an opposite second state, light from the first optical fiber core passes through, and back from, the first birefringent crystal, the GRIN lens, the liquid crystal cell and the mirror element, but not into the second optical fiber core. If voltages intermediate to those corresponding to the On and Off states are applied to the liquid crystal cell, the amount of light passing between the first and second optical fiber cores are proportionally controlled and the device operates as an attenuator.
|