Patent ID: 6580078
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
A liquid crystal infrared light modulator that can be driven by electrical signals to modulate incoming infrared light, comprising:a polarizer receptive of the incoming light that produces polarized light; a layer of liquid crystal material switchable between at least two states, the liquid crystal layer acting on polarized IR light from the polarizer to provide a first polarization state of polarized light if the liquid crystal is in a first state and to provide a second polarization state of polarized light if the liquid crystal is in a second state; a pair of IR transparent, conductive substrates positioned on either side of the liquid crystal layer that are suitable for having voltages applied thereto to drive the liquid crystal layer to one of the two states; and an analyzer that substantially blocks polarized light of the first polarization state when the liquid crystal layer is in the first state and substantially passes polarized light of the second polarization state when the liquid crystal layer is in the second state; wherein the liquid crystal material is a ferroelectric liquid crystal material that has an average transmissivity across the electromagnetic spectrum from 8-13 &mgr;m greater than 50%.