Abstract

We demonstrate a fast liquid-crystal analog phase modulator composed of a homeotropically aligned electroclinic chiral smectic liquid crystal. Pure phase modulation is obtained by electrical modulation of the refractive index of the liquid crystal. A refractive-index change of 0.045 can be obtained at a 5-μs switching speed with a 15-V/μm applied electric field by use of the commercial electroclinic chiral smectic liquid crystal mixture BDH764E. This results in a π phase modulation depth at λ = 0.633 μm in a device of 10-μm thickness.

© 1994 Optical Society of America

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