Project Title:

Ferroelectric, Liquid-Crystal, Tunable Optical Fibers

92-1-08.08-8958                                                    NAS07-1229
Ferroelectric, Liquid-Crystal, Tunable Optical Fibers
Boulder Nonlinear Systems, Inc.
1898 South Flatiron Court
Boulder, CO  80301
Gary Sharp                                           (303-786-8958)

Abstract:

     Liquid crystals offer an attractive method for electronically
tuning optical filters. Nematic liquid-crystal, tunable filters,
based on polarization interference and absolute phase interference
(Fabry-Perot etalons), have been successfully demonstrated in UV
through IR wavelengths. However, due to their slow tuning speeds,
they offer little improvement over mechanical methods for tuning
optical filters. Ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs) have been
used recently to tune, both discretely and continuously,
polarization interference filters and have shown potential for
tuning Fabry-Perot filters with a 104 increase in tuning speed
over nematic materials. This project applies an approach developed
at the firm for optimal tuning of birefringent filters as well as
for a completely novel method for tuning Fabry-Perot filters. The
project's goal is to develop continuously tunable filters using
FLC materials for operation in the visible and near-infrared
wavelength bands. All techniques for tuning optical filters will
be considered in Phase I research.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Applications:  An FLC optical filter has
benefits over nematic filters for all applications where rapid
tuning is required. Because progress in FLC tunable frequency
design indicates that broad, continuous tunability is easily
achieved, enormous potential exits for its use in broadband remote
sensing applications.

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