Abstract

We report optical limiting and multistability in EO liquid crystal devices (LCD). In particular, we report a device which reduces the amplitude fluctuations in a 5-mW He-Ne laser beam from an initial level of ~3 % to a quieted level of <0.005 % at throughputs of ~70%. The multistable optical devices reported here are characterized by wide wavelength coverage (from 0.35 to over 1 μm), low voltage requirements (<10 V), large aperture (~20 cm²), low cost, and simplicity of fabrication. The attainment of multistability and high noise quieting involved the use of a novel multipass arrangement for simultaneously enhancing the speed and birefringence of the liquid crystal devices.

© 1981 Optical Society of America