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Japanese Journal of Applied Physics

Study on statistical analysis of optical phase control by surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal devices

Kentaro Yamada, Hiroyuki Okada

Published Sep 19, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract We have evaluated a number of photon modulations using a Mach–Zehnder interferometer combined with a surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (SSFLC) device for optical phase control. By varying the applied voltage to the SSFLC, a clear change in the detected number of photons was observed. Statistical analysis of the photon counts revealed that the weak optical field followed the Poisson distributions with two distinct mean numbers of photons, corresponding to the two voltage-induced states of the SSFLC. This result suggests the probabilistic nature of independently emitted laser photons and demonstrates that such discrete photon statistics can be achieved via binary voltage control of the SSFLC.

DOI
10.35848/1347-4065/ae0942

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Abstract We have evaluated a number of photon modulations using a Mach–Zehnder interferometer combined with a surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (SSFLC) device for optical phase control. By varying the applied voltage to the SSFLC, a clear change in the detected number of photons was observed. Statistical analysis of the photon counts revealed that the weak optical field followed the Poisson distributions with two distinct mean numbers of photons, corresponding to the two voltage-induced states of the SSFLC. This result suggests the probabilistic nature of independently emitted laser photons and demonstrates that such discrete photon statistics can be achieved via binary voltage control of the SSFLC.
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Optical bistability in surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (SSFLC) with an electrical feedback has been studied. The hysteresis in the transmission-voltage curve which is characteristic of SSFLC is found to contribute to the expansion of the optical bistable region. Dynamic characteristics of the switching between optical bistable states by an incident light pulse have also been studied. A new multilogic element with both OR and AND functions which can be selected by controlling the duration of the reset light pulse can be realized.
Abstract A Mach–Zehnder interferometer with an optical phase control by a twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystal (LC) device was studied. In a typical TN LC device, a change in the optical rotation state of π/2 can be obtained by applying a voltage of about 5 V with a cell thickness of several-micron. The TN cell is inserted into one optical path in the Mach–Zehnder interferometer. We obtained a pattern change when voltage was applied to the LC cell due to the change of the optical interference state. As a result, a change in the number of photons under weak light conditions is observed.
Abstract A basic experiment on 2-bit quantum calculations related to the Deutsch–Jozsa algorithm on a linear optical quantum computer using a liquid crystal (LC) device as a linear optical element was investigated. By controlling the phase of each of the two split laser beams and checking the number of photons at the output, it is possible to determine if the input bits are “not equal” or “not uniform.” The phase of the laser light was controlled using an LC device and a half-wave plate, and changes in the interference state of the output light and the number of photons were observed. The voltage application to the LC device is set at the input bit. As a result, the interference state changed according to the input bit, and changes in the number of photons were observed.
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