Re: Fast "switchable glass"

"Postulate_lite" <postulate_lite@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

Sam Goldwasser wrote:
"Postulate_lite" <postulate_lite@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

Sam Goldwasser wrote:
"guimbys@xxxxxxxx" <guimbys@xxxxxxxx> writes:

I've read a bit about switchable glass technology, with the ability to
switch between being transparent and opaque to light by applying a
variable voltage to an electrochromic, suspended particle, or liquid
crystal device, I believe these devices work in the microsecond range,
but I have an application that requires a switching time of about 30
nanoseconds or less. Is anyone aware of a device similar to these
"smart windows" but one that can switch in 30 ns or less?

Saturable optical absorber as used in brief pulses lasers could be a
solution ?

1. How large an area? Is this over millimeters or meters?


Centimeters

2. Is the light polarized or is polarized light acceptable? If so, there
are several solutions depending on the answer to (1).


Polarized light is acceptable, but not preferred.

3. Does it need to be a voltage or can it be a lsaer pulse as mentioned above?
A saturable absorber would be opaque and become transparent with a high
intensity pulse.

Oh, no, it need not be limited to voltage. Any reasonable device that
will work. But, to be clear, we need to switch back and forth between
opaque and transparent.

Check out electro-optic modulators like Pockels cells and Kerr cells.
But these aren't going to be quite like a thin *** of glass.


Thanks for your suggestions.

On second thought, I would much prefer not using polarized light. Are
you aware of any other options?

Not for sub-microsecond response.

What is the application?

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