An electrochromic element, includes: a pair of electrodes (3, 5); and an electrochromic layer (7) disposed between the pair of electrodes (3, 5), the electrochromic element being controlled in transmittance by pulse width modulation, in which: the electrochromic layer (7) contains at least one of two or more kinds of anode electrochromic materials, or two or more kinds of cathode electrochromic materials; and all of one of the anode electrochromic materials and the cathode electrochromic materials have an equal molecular length, or have a molecular length ratio of (large molecular length)/(small molecular length) of 1.4 or less, the electrochromic element being such that even when a driving environment temperature changes, its gradation can be controlled under a state in which its absorption spectrum is retained.

A temperature control system and a driving method thereof, and a liquid crystal apparatus are provided. In the temperature control system, an input voltage adjustment circuit is respectively coupled to a control signal output end of a control circuit, a power signal output end, and an input end of a signal amplification circuit, and is configured to control the signal strength of a basic electrical signal transmitted to the input end of the signal amplification circuit under the control of a control signal output from the control signal output end; the signal amplification circuit is configured to output a corresponding target electrical signal to a heating element according to the basic electrical signal, and the heating element is configured to adjust the heating temperature according to the target electrical signal; a temperature sensing circuit is respectively coupled to the heating element and the control circuit, and is configured to convert a sensed sensing signal into a feedback signal and transmit the feedback signal to the control circuit; and the control circuit is configured to control the control signal output from the control signal output end according to the received feedback signal.

According to one embodiment, a reflective liquid crystal display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels and a temperature sensor. Further, the temperature sensor included in the reflective liquid crystal display apparatus is formed in one or more regions among a plurality of pixel regions partitioned into rows and columns. The reflective liquid crystal display apparatus can thereby measure the temperature of the pixels more accurately at real time compared with the case of using a temperature sensor attached onto a heatsink.

Methods and apparatus for tuning a photonics-based component. An opto-electrical detector is configured to output an electrical signal based on a measurement of light intensity of the photonics-based component, the light intensity being proportional to an amount of detuning of the photonics-based component. Analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuitry is configured to output a digital signal based on the electrical signal output from the opto-electrical detector. Feedback control circuitry is configured to tune the photonics-based component based, at least in part, on the digital signal output from the ADC circuitry.

Provided is a variable wavelength laser device that achieves phase control of high precision while restraining thermal interference and stably outputs emission light of desired wavelength.

The variable wavelength laser device of the present invention includes: an optical amplification means including a low-reflective surface that reflects light of wavelengths other than a predetermined wavelength and emits light of the predetermined wavelength; a wavelength control means for controlling wavelength of light being transmitted through the optical waveguide; a phase control means for controlling phase of light being transmitted through the optical waveguide using heat emitted by a heating means; a reflection means for totally reflecting the inputted light; and a heat dissipation means for restraining transfer of heat emitted by the heating means to regions other than a region in which the phase control means is disposed.

A self-heating electrochromic device and related manufacturing methods are provided. The electrochromic device includes a bottom electrode layer and a bottom substrate attached to each other; a top electrode layer and a top substrate attached to each other; an electrochromic layer, an electrolyte layer, and a charge storage layer sandwiched by the bottom electrode layer and the top electrode layer. Two first high conductive bars may be respectively provided on two edges of the bottom electrode layer, and two second high conductive bars may be respectively provided on two edges of the top electrode layer. The first and second high conductive bars may be configured to generate a current in the electrode layer in response to a voltage, and thus increase the temperature of the electrochromic device, thereby improving the switching speed of the electrochromic device in a low temperature environment.

A temperature compensated carrier effect switching cell controls phase shifts to compensate for phase errors induced by temperature difference between arms of the switching cell. The temperature difference may be generated by driving the carrier effect region of the switching cell. Temperature sensors within the arms of the switching cell provide signals indicative of the temperature difference.

Provided is an optical modulator in which low-voltage drive and a stable modulation characteristic are secured over a wide bandwidth. An optical modulator includes: a substrate 10; an optical waveguide (not shown) formed in the substrate 10; a modulation electrode (a signal electrode 11 and a ground electrode 12) for modulating light waves propagating through the optical waveguide; and an external signal line (not shown, only a connection connector 4 is shown) which is provided outside the substrate and supplies a modulation signal to the modulation electrode, in which an impedance value of the modulation electrode in an active region S in which an electric field formed by the modulation electrode is applied to the optical waveguide is set to be lower than an impedance value of the external signal line, and an impedance adjustment part 21 having an impedance adjustment function with respect to mainly a modulation signal in a low-frequency area and configured of a lumped-constant circuit, and an impedance matching line L having an impedance adjustment function with respect to mainly a modulation signal in a high-frequency area are disposed between the external signal line and the active region of the modulation electrode.

Monitoring output power levels of a carrier-effect based switching cell allows phase errors resulting from driving a PIN or PN junction of the switching cell to be dynamically compensated for. The compensation may also allow for compensating of phase errors resulting from the phase imbalance of input couplers as well as phase errors from the waveguide due to fabrication variations. By dynamically compensating for phase errors caused by the driving of the PIN or PN junction, the extinction ratio of the carrier-effect based switching cell can be increased.

A device and method for tuning a ring resonator using self-heating stabilization is provided. A light source is controlled to produce an optical signal, input to an optical ring resonator, at a power where self-heating shifts a resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator by at least 10 picometers, the self-heating comprising absorption in the optical ring resonator of optical power from a received optical signal. Prior to using the optical ring resonator at least one of modulate and filter the optical signal at the optical ring resonator, a heater of the optical ring resonator is controlled to an operating temperature at which the resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator is greater than a respective wavelength of the optical signal.