Nanosecond switching of micrometer optical retardance by an electrically controlled nematic liquid crystal cell

Electro-optic response of liquid crystals in mainstream display applications exhibits a millisecond switching of optical retardance on the order of one micrometer. We demonstrate that a similarly large optical retardance can be switched much faster, within 10-100 nanoseconds, by using multiple passes of light through a cell filled with the nematic liquid crystal. The fast response is based on the so-called nanosecond electric modification of order parameters (NEMOP) effect. The described approach can be used to develop ultrafast optical shutters and modulators.