ITWissen.info - Tech know how online

liquid crystal switch

Liquid crystal switches, LC switches, are switches used in optical networks and in optical fiber-basedEthernet that route light signals to the various optical fibers.

Conventional LC switches usually work by refraction, reflection and absorption of light signals. The liquid crystal cells present in LC switches can be selectively controlled by applying a voltage. As a result, they change their polarization and refraction, allowing the light beam to pass or blocking it. For polarization, polarization splitters( PBS) are connected downstream of the liquid cell. By connecting several LC switches in series, the light refraction can be accumulated. Thus, if one LC switch has a light refraction of 10 degrees, for example, then when the light passes through two LC switches, it is refracted by 20 degrees. This technique of switching in series allows the light path to be changed as a function of polarization.

A switching engine of LC switches consists of an optical splitter with a downstream polarizer and multiple liquid cells that deflect the polarized light beam at multiple angles.

Informations:
Englisch: liquid crystal switch
Updated at: 05.11.2020
#Words: 168
Links: crystal (XTAL), line conditioner (power supply) (LC), route, light, fibers
Translations: DE
Sharing:    

All rights reserved DATACOM Buchverlag GmbH © 2024