title: Transmissive liquid crystal light-valve for near-infrared applications.
abstract: An optical valve is realized by associating a nematic liquid crystal layer with a Cr-doped gallium arsenide as a photoconductive substrate. The light-valve is shown to efficiently operate in transmission at 1.06 μm optical wavelength. The optical phase shift and refractive index change are measured as a function of the incident light intensity and of the voltage applied. Additionally, the light-valve is shown to act as a self-defocusing medium. Combining transmissive properties and nonlinear features, applications for dynamic holography in the near-infrared region of the spectrum can be envisaged.
authors.affiliation: INLN, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, Valbonne, France. umberto.bortolozzo@inln.cnrs.fr
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bortolozzo
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Residori
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Huignard