Electric field-induced mode splitting in a liquid crystal waveguide

Abstract The propagation of a cw TE polarized Ar + laser beam in a symmetric planar waveguide having a nematic liquid crystal core is studied both theoretically and experimentally as a function of an external voltage. It is shown that, due to the externally applied voltage, the change in the index profile leads to a separation of the guided mode into two separated beams. A strong reduction (up to 80 dB/cm) of the scattering losses in the guide was also observed. The devices are proposed as electrical guided mode beam-splitters for possible applications in the optical waveguide field.