Chemical Vapor Desposition of PLZT for Low Cost SLM Manufacturing

Spatial light modulators (SLM's) have been identified as critical elements in many optical computing and signal processing applications. Typically these devices use expensive bulk ceramics that result in high cost and difficult device integration. Ceramic materials in the PbLaZrTiO3 (PLZT) family of compounds show a unique combination of high transparency, large electrooptic effects and exceptional speed. Combined with ATM's ability to produce high quality PLZT thin films by MOCVD, we believe that SLM's with frame rates higher than 1MHz can be fabricated at a fraction of the cost of currently available low performance devices. In Phase I we will demonstrate the feasibility of a high deposition rate process for PLZT with electrooptic properties sufficient to enable operation at full contrast at less than 35V. Phase II will focus on integration of MOCVD PLZT with silicon drive electronics, to produce monolithic commercially available spatial light modulator operating at above 1MHz. Additionally ATM will market a "turn-key" process to fabricate thin, high quality PLT films for integrated electro-optics.