Liquid crystal enabled reconfigurable photonic integrated circuit

An optical waveguide switch comprising:

• a base layer;
• a plurality of electrodes arranged on top of the base layer;
• a liquid crystal layer;
• and
• one or more waveguides that extend through the liquid crystal layer, wherein the liquid crystal layer has a spatially varying refractive index that is selectively defined by an electrical field generated by each electrode of the plurality of electrodes, and wherein light traveling through the one or more waveguides is manipulated based on the spatially varying refractive index of the liquid crystal layer by controlling the electrical field generated by each electrode of the plurality of electrodes.

A switch comprising:

• a waveguide comprising:
• a base layer;
• a plurality of electrodes arranged on top of the base layer;
• a liquid crystal layer;
• and
• one or more waveguides that extend through the liquid crystal layer, wherein the liquid crystal layer has a spatially varying refractive index that is selectively defined by an electrical field generated by each electrode of the plurality of electrodes, and wherein light traveling through the one or more waveguides is manipulated based on the spatially varying refractive index of the liquid crystal layer by controlling the electrical field generated by each electrode of the plurality of electrodes.