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We demonstrate tuning of the resonance wavelength of
silicon-on-insulator optical ring resonators. The devices
are clad with a layer of nematic liquid crystal. The electrooptic effect of the anisotropic liquid crystal allows us to
change the effective index of the TE waveguide mode with an externally applied voltage. The electric field will
reorient the liquid crystal director which alters the refractive index of the cladding layer. The evanescent tails of
the waveguide mode feel this change. The change in effective index has a direct effect on the resonance
wavelength. In our setup, the director tilts from an orientation parallel to the waveguides to an orientation
perpendicular to the substrate. This way, it is the longitudinal component of the electric field of the light that
experiences the largest change in refractive index. Starting from this principle, we show experimental tuning of
the resonance wavelength over 0.6nm towards shorter wavelengths. Theoretical considerations and simulations
with a finite element modesolver capable of handling full anisotropy confirm the experimental results and provide
insights in the tuning mechanism.
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Wout De Cort, Jeroen Beeckman, Richard James, F. Anibal Fernandez, Roel Baets, Kristiaan Neyts, "New wavelength-tuning method in optical ring resonators with liquid crystal cladding: exploiting the longitudinal E-field," Proc. SPIE 7414, Liquid Crystals XIII, 74140D (20 August 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.825669