Title

Liquid-crystal-deflector based variable fiber-optic attenuator

Authors

Authors

N. A. Riza;S. A. Khan

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

Appl. Optics

Keywords

OPTICAL ATTENUATOR; Optics

Abstract

A compact, low-component-count, no-moving-parts variable optical attenuator (VOA) is demonstrated for the first time by means of beam spoiling that is implemented via an electrically reconfigurable nonpixelated nematic liquid-crystal deflector. The VOA design features an in-line alignment polarization-insensitive design that does not use bulky polarization splitting and combining optics. The proof-of-concept VOA at 1550 nm demonstrates a 30-dB attenuation range, a 2.5-dB insertion loss, a less than or equal to0.8-dB polarization-dependent loss, and a 1-s maximum attenuation reset time. The VOA design can counter performance-reducing environmental effects such as excess-loss increases due to temperature variations. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.

Journal Title

Applied Optics

Volume

43

Issue/Number

17

Publication Date

1-1-2004

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

3449

Last Page

3455

WOS Identifier

WOS:000221920600011

ISSN

1559-128X

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