Electrically controlled dual-mode polarization beam splitter using a nematic liquid crystal

Polarization handling using an external source is highly desirable in applied optics and photonics to increase the degree of freedom of an optical system. Here we report an electrically controlled polarization beam splitter (PBS) by sandwiching the nematic liquid crystal (LC) between two equilateral prisms. The presented LC-PBS is operated in two different modes: non-splitting mode and polarization splitting mode. The externally applied voltage can switch the mode of the PBS, which makes the device active and flexible. The proposed electrically controlled PBS exhibits features such as bistability with highly stable modes, large splitting angle, wider operating range, and ease of fabrication with lower cost.