Liquid crystal waveguide having refractive shapes for dynamically controlling light

A waveguide, comprising:

• a substantially planar core defining a substantially planar lower surface, the core operable to guide a light beam through the waveguide in a direction parallel to the substantially planar lower surface;
• at least one cladding having a liquid crystal material within at least a portion of said cladding wherein at least a portion of the liquid crystal material forms one or more refractive shapes having an index of refraction;
• at least one alignment layer adjacent the at least one cladding, the alignment layer operable to orient the liquid crystal material in an initial orientation;
• and
• at least one electrode;
• wherein as a voltage is applied to said electrode, the index of refraction of the one or more refractive shapes is altered to controllably refract the light beam as it travels through the waveguide, wherein the refraction of the light beam is confined to be in a direction substantially parallel to the substantially planar lower surface of the core.

A waveguide for steering a light beam, comprising:

• a substantially planar core defining a substantially planar upper surface, the core operable to guide the light beam through the waveguide in a direction parallel to the substantially planar upper surface;
• at least one cladding having a liquid crystal material disposed therein, said cladding having a first region characterized by a first index of refraction and a second region characterized by a second index of refraction;
• at least one interface oriented non-orthogonally to the direction of propagation of the light beam, the interface positioned within the waveguide between the first region and the second region, the interface operable to receive the light beam at an angle and operable to steer the light beam thereby forming a steered light beam, wherein the angle is larger than the total internal reflection angle such that at least a portion of the steered light beam transmits through the interface;
• at least one alignment layer adjacent the at least one cladding, the alignment layer operable to orient the liquid crystal material in an initial orientation;
• and
• at least one electrode;
• wherein at least the second index of refraction is controlled by a voltage applied to the electrode, thereby steering the steered light beam in a direction parallel to the substantially planar upper surface.

A waveguide for refracting a light beam, comprising:

• a substantially planar core defining a substantially planar upper surface;
• at least one cladding having a liquid crystal material disposed therein, said cladding having at least a first region that includes at least a portion of the liquid crystal material having a first orientation, wherein the first region has at least a leading edge and a trailing edge;
• at least one alignment layer adjacent the at least one cladding, the alignment layer operable to orient the liquid crystal material in an initial orientation;
• and
• at least one electrode;
• wherein the first orientation of the first portion of the liquid crystal material in the at least first region selectively changes from a first state to a second state based on a voltage applied to said electrode thereby refracting the light beam in a direction parallel to the substantially planar upper surface of the core, and wherein the light beam when refracted traverses the trailing edge of the first region.