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Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE

Microwatt optical switching and bistability in dyed nematic liquid crystals

Ashley Lloyd, Chang H. Wang, Brian S. Wherrett

Published Dec 1, 1990• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The performance of optically bistable liquid crystal interference filters with extra-cavity metallic absorbers is contrasted with designs using intra-cavity dyes with which switching levels at 4 pW are recorded. The use of these devices in parallel processing applications is also considered, with the optical implementation of a "flip-flop" and results of a 15 x 15 element array switching presented.

DOI
10.1117/12.22964

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The performance of optically bistable liquid crystal interference filters with extra-cavity metallic absorbers is contrasted with designs using intra-cavity dyes with which switching levels at 4 pW are recorded. The use of these devices in parallel processing applications is also considered, with the optical implementation of a "flip-flop" and results of a 15 x 15 element array switching presented.
Optimisation studies of nonlinear narrow pass-band interference filters have concluded that the independent tailoring of finesse and cavity length made possible by removal of absorption from within the cavity can lead to a significant reduction in operating power levels. A metallic partial mirror at the rear of the cavity is thus used as both a reflector and an absorber, with thermal conduction into the spacer leading to optothermal bistability. This design allowed the construction of rigid cavities which have been used to demonstrate optical bistability with a number of liquid phase thermo-optic materials. >