title: Three-level phase modulator based on orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals.
abstract: Surface-stabilized orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals (OAFLCs) have a director tilt of theta = 45 degrees and are, with no field applied, negatively uniaxial with the optic axis perpendicular to the cell substrates. We demonstrate that OAFLCs can be utilized to achieve lossless phase modulation with three almost equidistant phase levels. This turns out to be true also for polymer-stabilized OAFLCs, where the polymer network increases the switching speed of the device without affecting the phase modulation appreciably.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Photonics Laboratory, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden. david.engstrom@mc2.chalmers.se
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Engström
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rudquist
authors.forename: Jörgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: D'havé
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galt