HIGH PERFORMANCE SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS USING FERROELECTRIC LIQUID CRYSTALS

NOVEL, HIGH PERFORMANCE SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS (SLM) ARE BEING DEVELOPED FROM ARRAYS OF FERROELECTRIC LIQUID CRYSTAL (FLC) LIGHT VALVES. THE FLC TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS SIMPLE, ECONOMICAL FABRICATION OF SLMS WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF ELEMENTS THAT CAN BE EASILY ADDRESSED EITHER ELECTRONICALLY OR OPTICALLY. PERFORMANCE FEATURES INCLUDE SUBMICROSECOND WRITE TIMES, HIGH OPTICAL THROUGHPUT, HIGH CONTRAST, AND EITHER LOW-VOLTAGE, LOW-POWER ELECTRONIC OR OPTICAL ADDRESSING. AHIGH-RESOLUTION 128 X 128 PROOF-OF-CONCEPT SLM IS BEING DEVELOPED. ATA LATER PHASE, HIGHER SPEED SLMS WITH A LARGER NUMBER OF ELEMENTS AND OPTICAL ADDRESSING SCHEMES COULD BE DEVELOPED. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS PROJECT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FIRST SIMPLE-TO-FABRICATE, LOW COST, FAST, HIGH CONTRAST, LOW POWER SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR. AN SLM WITH THESE PROPERTIES WILL HAVE MYRIAD APPLICATIONS IN OPTICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING AND COMPUTING.