Liquid crystal devices for optical communication systems

Liquid crystals (LCs) prove to be the basic material for various applications in electronic imaging and displays as well as optoelectronics. We will review the following LC optoelectronic devices for optical communication systems. 1. Fast reliable low power optical switches. We shall demonstrate the new possible configurations of the fast LC shutters for fiber-optical system, based on (i) STN-LCD cell and (ii) fast deformed-helix ferroelectric liquid crystal (DHF-FLC) mode. 2. Passive elements of optical communication systems. The software for optimization of the LC light modulation characteristics has been developed. The new photo-aligning technology for efficient LC applications in optical communication systems has been made. 3. Passive fiber optical elements based on photonic crystals (PCs) and liquid crystals (LCs). A method for the formation of controllable PCf/C structures, based on multiple-redrawing technique, applied for different types of glass, filled with photo-aligned LC is discussed.