| 摘要 |
PURPOSE: To embody an optical switch which can be rapidly and stably activated by making a light beam incident on the interface between ferroelectric liquid crystals and another dielectric substance, and impressing a prescribed electric field thereon. CONSTITUTION: In the case of the single path switch using the ferroelectric liquid crystals of a smectic phase, the ferroelectric liquid crystal(FLC) layer 41 of the smectic phase is disposed between two glass prisms 43 and 43 having transparent conductive coatings 44, 46 on the surface and the prescribed electric field is impressed thereon. The ray from a light source 15 is made incident on the interface of this switch and the electric field is adjusted, by which the relative intensity of the reflected and refracted light beam is changed and the propagation direction of the beam is changed. All of four ports 11 to 14 are utilizable as incident ports and the perfect switching of input light which is not polarized light is made possible if another one of such switch is used.
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