Analog low-loss full-range phase modulation by utilizing a V-shaped switched ferroelectric liquid-crystal cell in reflective mode

We have studied the analog (V-shaped switching) mode in ferroelectric liquid crystals in reflective mode for analog phase modulation applications. We have found that several combinations of cell thicknesses and input polarization states exist for which near-lossless analog phase modulation with a range of ~2π rad is obtained, and we demonstrate one such combination experimentally. Despite a slight deviation from the ideal conditions, e.g., the tilt angle was 38\ub0 instead of the desired 45\ub0, virtually pure 1.6π rad phase modulation was obtained; the measured values agree very well with our numerical simulations of the real device

Three-level phase modulator based on orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals

Surface-stabilized orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals (OAFLCs) have a director tilt of θ=45\ub0 and are, with no field applied, negatively uniaxial with the optic axis perpendicular to the cell substrates. We demonstrate that OAFLCs can be utilized to achieve lossless phase modulation with three almost equidistant phase levels. This turns out to be true also for polymer-stabilized OAFLCs, where the polymer network increases the switching speed of the device without affecting the phase modulation appreciably

V-shaped switching ferroelectric liquid crystal structure stabilized by dielectric surface layers

The "V-shaped switching" mode in high polarization ferroelectric liquid crystals was studied with the aim of stabilizing the monostable bookshelf structure with the spontaneous polarization parallel to the glass plates. The director field in such cells was confirmed to be sensitive to both the liquid crystal properties and the cell parameters. In cells with only polyimide alignment layers, hysteresis free switching was never obtained, with bistable and asymmetric monostable structures compromising the zero-field dark state and preventing an ideal, hysteresis-free analog response. By incorporating a SiO(2) layer between the ITO electrode and the polyimide, the undesired states were suppressed and essentially hysteresis-free switching was obtained for driving frequencies in the range 0.2-200 Hz. Cells rubbed only on one side give more uniform alignment than cells rubbed on both sides but their inherent asymmetry shifts the long-term dark state away from 0 V and causes the response to gray level voltage modulation to be slightly asymmetric. The formation of different types of states as a function of the values of the surface parameters, and the observed stabilization of the V-shaped switching structure by the dielectric surface layers, are in good agreement with an earlier analysis by Copic et al