Ii-vi Delaware, Inc.

Yimin Ji

Haiji J Yuan

Helen Chen

Guomin Jiang

Qingyu Li

Jack Robert Kelly

Wenyi Cao

Xuewen Lu

Lixin Wang

A reconfigurable polarization rotator is formed of an array of very small liquid crystal (LC) cells (e.g., cells of less than 10 μm in width, termed 'microcells'), referred to hereinafter as “microcells”. Each LC microcell is addressable by a separate electrical voltage input that independently controls the polarization rotation performed by the associated LC microcell. By defining a set of adjacent microcells to be held at the same voltage level, that group may be used to form a polarization rotator window of a proper size for a first fiber array configuration. When a fiber array of a different configuration (say, an array with twice the pitch) is used, a different-sized group of adjacent LC microcells is held at a common voltage level so as to form a reconfigured “window” of a new dimension.

Reconfigurable port arrays for wavelength selectable switch

A voltage-controlled optical wedge is formed by creating an adjustable voltage gradient along the length of a relatively large-sized LC cell. A pair of bias voltages (AC voltages) are applied at the opposing side terminations of the LC cell, their RMS values selected to create a continuous phase variation along the length of the cell, where a defined phase variation is associated with a specific beam steering angle. Adjustments in the applied bias voltages (specifically, changes in the RMS values of the bias voltages) result in changing the beam steering angle, providing for active, controllable beam steering as a function of time. The LC cell may be configured to provide either a linear or nonlinear continuous phase variation, as preferred for different beam steering applications.

Tunable optical wedge for beam steering

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Yimin Ji