Temperature-controllable beam splitter and optical filter based on filling liquid crystal into both ends of photonic crystal fibres

ABSTRACT

We first presented an optical device of integrated beam splitter and filter based on the photonic crystal fibres (PCFs) with both ends of the air-holes filled with liquid crystal (LCs). All of the air-holes of one end of PCFs were filled with LCs and for the other end two air-holes near the solid core were selectively filled with LCs. As a beam splitter, when the two-filled-holes end was heated, the light power partly transmitted steadily from the central solid core into the two holes filled with LCs after the clearing point. As a filter, when the two-filled-holes end was heated, a peak near 760 nm of transmission spectrum got weak and another peak near 608 nm was maintained. While heating the full-filled end, the peak near 760 nm got strong and the peak near 608 nm got extremely weak. So this optical device could be applied to beam splitter and filter.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Photonic crystal fibres
• liquid crystal
• fibre sensor
• photonic bandgap

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [grant number 61107059], [grant number 61077047], [grant number 61308052]; the 111 project [B13015] to the Harbin Engineering University.