Continuously controllable, wide-angle liquid crystal beam deflector based on the transversal field effect in a three-electrode cell

Boris Apter; Eldad Bahat-Treidel; Uzi Efron

doi:10.1117/1.1911125

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1 May 2005 Continuously controllable, wide-angle liquid crystal beam deflector based on the transversal field effect in a three-electrode cell

Boris Apter, Eldad Bahat-Treidel, Uzi Efron

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Optical Engineering, 44(5), 054001 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1911125

Abstract

A controllable, refractive, electro-optical liquid crystal (LC) beam deflector is studied both theoretically and experimentally. The principle of operation of this device is based on a beam deflection from a large gradient of refractive index, generated in an LC layer by a transversal electric field, formed between two lateral electrodes, in a simple three-electrode LC cell. A continuous, controllable deflection of a Gaussian laser beam, focused into the narrow region at the electrode gap is demonstrated. Maximum deflection angles of ~18 to 25 deg, depending on the LC birefringence, as well as a high deflection efficiency of up to 98% are demonstrated experimentally, backed by a theoretical analysis.

©(2005) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

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Boris Apter, Eldad Bahat-Treidel, and Uzi Efron "Continuously controllable, wide-angle liquid crystal beam deflector based on the transversal field effect in a three-electrode cell," Optical Engineering 44(5), 054001 (1 May 2005). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1911125

Published: 1 May 2005

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