A dual-mode integrated electronically controlled liquid crystal optical switch array

Abstract

The invention discloses a bimodule integrated electronic controlled liquid crystal optical switch array. Under driving and control of a double-path timing sequence electric signal, a liquid crystal micro-optical structure arranged in an array manner appears as an electronic controlled liquid crystal condensation microlens array or an electronic controlled liquid crystal astigmatism microlens array. Each unit of a liquid crystal condensation microlens and each unit of a liquid crystal astigmatism microlens from the same liquid crystal micro-optical structure have the same optical axis. In a condensation mode, a liquid crystal condensation microlens formed by driving and control of a group of double-path electric signals which are matched with each other applies variable focusing condensation operation on incident light waves, to form a switch-on state of the optical switch. In an astigmatism mode, a liquid crystal astigmatism microlens formed by driving and control of another group of double-path electric signals which are matched with each other applies astigmatism operation in controllable light divergence degree on the incident beams. Through loading corresponding double-path electric signals, the liquid crystal optical switch array completes optical wave on-off operation among light beams, control methods of switching is flexible, and the method is suitable to be used in an optical fiber / optical cable system whose spectrum range is wide and light intensity variation rang is large.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of optical communication, and more specifically relates to an optical switch suitable for broadband and relatively strong beam transmission power, with flexible electric drive control mode, smart structure and relatively low price. Background technique [0002] So far, optical switches have been widely used in technical fields such as optical fiber data transmission, optical fiber sensing and measurement, and various types of commercial architectures and drive control methods have been developed, including mechanical optical switches, micro-electromechanical (MEMS) optical switches and Typical categories such as light modulating optical switches. Technical parameters characterizing optical switches such as insertion loss, optical return loss, optical isolation, optical crosstalk, and extinction ratio have also reached a relatively high level. The application shows that the mechanical optical switch has the ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

It can be summarized as follows: (1) The optical switching time of the mechanical optical switch is at the millisecond level, the insertion loss is still large, the isolation is still insufficient, the driving and control operations are complicated, the shape and structure size are large, and it is difficult to integrate into a large-scale switch matrix , cannot completely eliminate problems such as bounce jitter and poor repeatability, and is difficult to adapt to future high-speed and large-capacity optical networks; (2) MEMS optical switches mainly because of the mechanical inertia of micro-optical mirrors make the execution cycle of switching actions unable to be further compressed And there is a problem of cost; (3) The optical modulation optical switch is based on various light control properties, such as the change of light transmission characteristics caused by the field-induced refractive index or polarization change of the material, and the special structure constructed in a very small space Optical interference, diffraction, spectrum separation, or optical intensity change, which causes the switching on and off of the optical transport path, has defects or deficiencies such as relatively complicated control and modulation, uneven technical indicators, and high production and use costs; ( 4) Other types of switching functions such as electro-optic, thermo-optic, magneto-optic, acousto-optic, photonic crystals or surface plasmons are mainly based on the thermal properties of light-controlling materials or the refractive index of materials caused by acoustic or other special physical effects Changing or special light field construction, forming a specific light distribution and transport form to realize switching operation, is still difficult to commercialize

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