All organic switching polarizer based on polymer waveguides and liquid crystals
This paper reports on the design, fabrication and characterization of an all organic photonic integrated circuit working as a switching polarizer for visible light (630nm) combining organic waveguides and liquid crystals that can be electrically driven. The device was made in commercially available epoxy by laser direct writing lithography. A device with a 2dB loss and a 20dB extinction ratio for both polarizations, was simulated; the manufactured devices proved the working principle of the design. The results have led to the design of a switching polarization splitter, in which a careful choice of waveguide material and liquid crystal can lead to devices working on a wide range of wavelengths. (c) 2018 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement OCIS codes: (130.5460) Polymer waveguides; (130.5440) Polarization selective devices; (130.4815) Optical switching devices; (130.0250) Optoelectronics. References and links 1. T. Su, R. P. Scott, C. 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