Switchable achromatic polarization rotator

Details Switchable achromatic polarization rotator Switchable achromatic polarization rotator

1995-10-30

1999-02-09

Sikes, William L.

Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems

Particular structure

Having significant detail of cell structure only

349117, G02F 11335

Patent

active

058701591

ABSTRACT:
This invention provides a liquid crystal achromatic polarization rotator switch, and an achromatic shutter using the rotator switch. The rotator switch requires input light of a fixed orientation and switches between rotating the polarization by zero degrees and by a fixed angle, .beta.. The achromatic shutter uses an achromatic 90-degree rotator switch positioned between a pair of polarizers. A first embodiment of the rotator switch comprises one planar-aligned rotatable smectic liquid crystal half-wave retarder in series with one passive half-wave retarder. The smectic liquid crystal cell has fixed retardance and is driven between two orientations for off- and on-states. A second embodiment of the rotator switch utilizes two variable birefringence liquid crystal cells. The variable birefringence cells having fixed orientation and variable retardance. In the off-state both retarders have zero retardance and in the on-state they have half-wave retardance.

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