Characterization of an analog ferroelectric spatial light modulator: application to dynamic diffractive optical elements and optical information processing

Pierre Ambs; Laurent Bigue

doi:10.1117/12.449680

30 November 2001 Characterization of an analog ferroelectric spatial light modulator: application to dynamic diffractive optical elements and optical information processing

Pierre Ambs, Laurent Bigue

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10302, Optoelectronic Information Processing: Optics for Information Systems: A Critical Review; 103020I (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.449680
Event: Optoelectronic Information Processing: Optics for Information Systems, 2002, Valencia, Spain

Abstract

Spatial light Modulators (SLM) are key devices for the development of optical information processors. Low cost twisted nematic liquid crystal (TN-LC) SLM's are widely available and their characteristics have been extensively studied. Beside the fact that they exhibit a coupled amplitude and phase modulation, their speed is limited to approximately the video frame rate. An alternative to TN-LC devices can be the use of analog ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) devices. These devices now commercially available produce a gray level pure amplitude modulation at typical frame rates of 1 kHz. In order to determine its coding capabilities and its limitations, the characterization of such a device, manufactured by Boulder Nonlinear Systems Inc., is presented in this paper. This SLM has a resolution of 512 by 512 pixels with a pitch of 15 μm and has a reflective VLSI backplane. The study of its potential applications for the display of dynamic diffractive optical elements and also as a component of an optical processor for pattern recognition will be followed by experimental results and comparisons with TNLC devices.

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Pierre Ambs and Laurent Bigue "Characterization of an analog ferroelectric spatial light modulator: application to dynamic diffractive optical elements and optical information processing", Proc. SPIE 10302, Optoelectronic Information Processing: Optics for Information Systems: A Critical Review, 103020I (30 November 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.449680

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