Influence of temperature and electrical fields on propagation properties of photonic liquid-crystal fibres

The paper reports temperature and external electrical field effects on propagation properties of a photonic liquid-crystal fibre composed of a solid-core photonic crystal fibre filled either with a prototype nematic liquid crystal characterized by extremely low (of the order of similar to 0.05) material birefringence or with a typical nematic pentylo-cyano-biphenyl, PCB (birefringence of the order of similar to 0.2). The nematic liquid crystal was introduced into the micro holes of the photonic crystal fibre by the capillary effect. Depending on the liquid crystal material introduced into the micro holes and due to anisotropic properties of the photonic liquid-crystal fibre, switching between different guiding mechanisms controlled by temperature and an external electric field has been demonstrated. This creates great potential in fibre optic sensing and optical processing application.