Dual Frequency Addressable Optical Device

• We propose a photonic switch employing a liquid-crystalline material. The material exhibits a change in the sign of the dielectric anisotropy switching from a positive to a negative value at a certain crossover frequency. By application of an electric field this phenomenon can be used to alter the orientation of the sample between two orthogonal directions leading to a large change in the optical transmission characteristics of the medium. Here we demonstrate that this feature can be realized by an unpolarized ultraviolet UV beam, owing to the photoisomerization of the constituent azobenzene molecules. Possible usage of this for optically driven display devices and image-storage applications are suggested.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Annan materialteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Other Materials Engineering (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Atom- och molekylfysik och optik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

dual frequency

liquid crystals

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)