SMECTIC LIQUID CRYSTAL ANALOG PHASE MODULATOR

摘要

This invention provides analog phase modulators comprising SmC* liquid crystal cells wherein the layers (22 or 32) are specifically not aligned perpendicular to cell walls (10). The layers are either tilted with respect to the substrate (22) or in a chevron structure (32). Application of an analog electric field (E) perpendicular to the cell walls (10) bends the molecules in an analog fashion in a plane not parallel to the cell walls and thereby provides analog phase modulation of incident light. This invention further provides Fabry-Perot devices (10, 40, 41, 42, 43) containing these analog phase modulators within the resonance cavity.