Optical light guide shunt - using liquid crystals with molecules aligned by three pairs to electrodes

摘要

Optical shunt for transmission systems using optical light guides is fitted with three pairs of electrodes. The first and the second pair represent a first path, and the first and the third pair represent a second path in plan view. A layer of liq. crystals (nematic) is arranged between the electrodes of the pairs and the electrodes have a vapour-deposited coating of MgF2 to align the liq. crystal molecules in parallel. The shunt takes up very little space and is ideally suited for optical communication systems based on integrated techniques.