Liquid crystal light valve with dual function as both optical-to-electrical and optical-to-optical transducer

Abstract

A liquid crystal light valve and a various information processors is provided. The processors have the liquid crystal light valve in which information formed in a liquid crystal layer and corresponding to address light can be read as an optical signal and can be directly read as an electric signal. A liquid crystal light valve has a glass substrate, an antireflection film, a transparent electrode, an opposite electrode, an optical waveguide, a photoconductive layer, a light interrupting layer, an orientational film, a spacer and a liquid crystal layer. The optical waveguide is composed of a lower clad layer, a core layer and a clad layer. A light source and a photodetector are connected to both ends of the optical waveguide. For example, the light source is constructed by a laser, a light emitting diode (LED), etc. The light source is connected to the optical waveguide such that a polarized wave can be guided to the optical waveguide. For example, the photodetector is constructed by an a-Si:H diode, an a-SiGe:H diode, etc. in accordance with a wavelength of the light source. The photodetector is connected to the optical waveguide so as to receive light therefrom.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.