GB2265024A - A spatial light modulator assembly. - Google Patents
A spatial light modulator assembly. Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2265024A GB2265024A GB9205660A GB9205660A GB2265024A GB 2265024 A GB2265024 A GB 2265024A GB 9205660 A GB9205660 A GB 9205660A GB 9205660 A GB9205660 A GB 9205660A GB 2265024 A GB2265024 A GB 2265024A
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- layer
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- read
- assembly
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- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 41
- 230000005686 electrostatic field Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 claims description 15
- 125000006850 spacer group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 12
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000000806 elastomer Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920001169 thermoplastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000004416 thermosoftening plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000012780 transparent material Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 229910001020 Au alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- CJOBVZJTOIVNNF-UHFFFAOYSA-N cadmium sulfide Chemical compound [Cd]=S CJOBVZJTOIVNNF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052980 cadmium sulfide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N gold Chemical compound [Au] PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052737 gold Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000010931 gold Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000003353 gold alloy Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- VHQGURIJMFPBKS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2,4,7-trinitrofluoren-9-one Chemical compound [O-][N+](=O)C1=CC([N+]([O-])=O)=C2C3=CC=C([N+](=O)[O-])C=C3C(=O)C2=C1 VHQGURIJMFPBKS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000007772 electrode material Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000000499 gel Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000011810 insulating material Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000010703 silicon Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- UQMZPFKLYHOJDL-UHFFFAOYSA-N zinc;cadmium(2+);disulfide Chemical compound [S-2].[S-2].[Zn+2].[Cd+2] UQMZPFKLYHOJDL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- UCKMPCXJQFINFW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sulphide Chemical compound [S-2] UCKMPCXJQFINFW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 1
- 230000001427 coherent effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 3
- XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicon Chemical compound [Si] XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- WYURNTSHIVDZCO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Tetrahydrofuran Chemical compound C1CCOC1 WYURNTSHIVDZCO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000005083 Zinc sulfide Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 2
- DRDVZXDWVBGGMH-UHFFFAOYSA-N zinc;sulfide Chemical compound [S-2].[Zn+2] DRDVZXDWVBGGMH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- FKNIDKXOANSRCS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2,3,4-trinitrofluoren-1-one Chemical compound C1=CC=C2C3=C([N+](=O)[O-])C([N+]([O-])=O)=C([N+]([O-])=O)C(=O)C3=CC2=C1 FKNIDKXOANSRCS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 206010034972 Photosensitivity reaction Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 239000004793 Polystyrene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000005684 electric field Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003822 epoxy resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002148 esters Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000036211 photosensitivity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920000647 polyepoxide Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920002223 polystyrene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000002310 reflectometry Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 1
- YLQBMQCUIZJEEH-UHFFFAOYSA-N tetrahydrofuran Natural products C=1C=COC=1 YLQBMQCUIZJEEH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000012815 thermoplastic material Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B26/00—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements
- G02B26/02—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements for controlling the intensity of light
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Mechanical Light Control Or Optical Switches (AREA)
Abstract
A spatial light modulator assembly has a layered sandwich form. The assembly includes a first layer (1) of material transparent to a read in beam (2) of light, a second layer (5) of a deformable material which is physically deformable in response to variation in an electrostatic field temperature or a potential difference, and, located in a gap (6) between the second layer (5) and the inner surface (4) of the first layer (1) a gaseous medium such as air having a lower refractive index than that of the first layer (1). The gaseous medium forms an interface (7) with the first layer at which a laser light read in beam (2) passing into the first layer (1) is amplitude modulated by modulation of the gap (6), and thereby of the reflection coefficient at the interface (7), resulting from deformation of the deformable material. <IMAGE>
Description
A SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR ASSEMBLY
This invention relates to a spatial light modulator assembly of layered sandwich form particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for imposing information on a light read beam such as a laser light read beam.
A spatial light modulator assembly is known which utilises a deformable surface to impose information on a read out laser beam. In such a known assembly a charge pattern or local electric field variation is generated across the deformable surface by photo generation or electronically. However in such a known assembly there is the disadvantage that the read-out laser beam interacts with the deformable surface, either by being reflected off it in some way or by being transmitted through it. This means that the optical quality of the deformable surface material is critical, especially in transmission mode. Whether reflected or transmitted by the deformable surface the read out laser beam travels through slightly different optical path lengths from each point and thus phase modulation occurs across the beam.This makes it necessary for the beam to undergo some process for converting this phase modulation into amplitude modulation to get a binary black and white or grey level image. Thus such a known spatial light modulate assembly has the drawback of causing beam distortion and of requiring conversion from phase to amplitude modulation. A solution to both these problems would considerably improve the usefulness of such a modulator assembly.
There is thus a need for a spatial light modulator assembly which at least minimises the foregoing disadvantages.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a spatial light modulator assembly of layered sandwich form, including a first layer of material transparent to a read beam of light, which first layer has an outer surface through which, in operation, an impinging read in beam of light passes into the first layer, and an inner surface, a second layer of a deformable material which is physically deformable in response to variation in an electro-static field, temperature or a potential difference, and, located in a gap between the second layer and the inner surface of the first layer, a gaseous medium having a lower refractive index than that of the first layer, which gaseous medium, in operation of the assembly, forms an interface with the first layer inner surface at which the light read in beam passing into the first layer through the outer surface thereof is amplitude modulated by modulation of the gap, and thereby of the reflection coefficient of the interface, resulting from deformation of the deformable material and substantially totally reflected, as a amplitude modulated read out beam, back through the outer surface of the first layer.
Preferably the gaseous medium is air having a refractive index of substantially 1.0.
Conveniently the first layer material has a refractive index in the range of from 1.5 to 2.0.
Advantageously the first layer material is a glass or an optical polymer, and the outer and inner surfaces are substantially planar and substantially parallel to one another.
Preferably the assembly includes a prism made of light transparent material, preferably laser light transparent material, substantially refractive index matched to the first layer material associated with or and attached to the other surface of the first layer to assist in addressing the interface at high angles and reducing refraction.
Conveniently the assembly includes anti-reflection coatings on at least the two external faces of said prism.
Advantageously the second layer deformable material is at least one of a elastomer, gel, membrane, incompressible fluid, oil film or thermoplastic.
Preferably the assembly includes a third layer in the form of a metallic coating, which is non-transparent to light, preferably laser light, preferably on a surface of the second layer which faces the gaseous medium and forms a boundary therewith to the gap, which third layer is an electrode and of sufficient optical density to absorb any transmitted read in beam laser light.
Conveniently the metallic coating is made of gold or a gold alloy.
Advantageously the assembly includes a fourth layer adjoining the surface of the second layer most remote from the third layer, which fourth layer is made of a photoconductive material.
Preferably the fourth layer material is at least one of silicon, cadmium sulphide, zinc sulphide, zine cadmium sulphide, and PVK-TNF (a combination of Poly-n-Vinylcarbozole and a dye 2, 4, 7 trinitrofluorenone).
Advantageously the assembly includes a fifth layer of an electrode material, transparent to light, preferably laser light, located adjacent to and in contact with the surface of the photoconductive fourth layer most remote from the second layer which fifth layer is coupled to the third layer by a source of electrical energy.
Advantageously the assembly includes a sixth layer of material which is transparent to a write beam of light, preferably laser light; which sixth layer has an inner face adjacent to or in contact with the outer face of the fifth layer most remote from the fourth layer.
Preferably the sixth layer is made of glass or an optical polymer.
Alternatively the second layer is a membrane.
Conveniently such an alternative assembly includes a spacer layer made of insulating material and provided with a plurality of holes therethrough forming cells or pixels bridged by said second layer, which spacer layer is in contact with the surface of the second layer most remote from the gap.
Advantageously such an alternative assembly includes an electrode layer made of electrically conductive material and having a plurality of spaced apart protrusions on one surface thereof forming an array of electrodes, which electrode layer is so located adjacent to said spacer layer on the side thereof most remote from the second layer, that the electrode protrusions lie one at the base of each hole in the spacer layer so that with the third layer being held at a substantially constant potential and with each electrode in the array being driven by addressing electronics to a voltage corresponding to a desired value, a potential difference between the electrodes and the third layer causes deflection of the second layer towards or away from the interface to amplitude modulate the read out beam.
Preferably the read in beam andlor read out beam is or are of laser light.
For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure lis an end view of a spatial light modulator assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and
Figure 2 is a partially sectioned view from one end of a spatial light modulator assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
A spatial light modulator assembly of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in Figures 1 and 2 thereof. In basic format the modulator assembly is of layered sandwich form including a first layer 1 of material transparent to a read in beam 2 of light, preferably laser light. The first layer 1 has an outer surface 3 through which, in operation, the impinging read in beam 2 of laser light passes into the first layer 1 and an inner surface 4.
The assembly includes a second layer 5 of a deformable material which is physically deformable in response to variation in an electrostatic field, temperature or a potential difference and, located in a gap 6 between the second layer 5 and the inner surface 4 of the first layer 1, a gaseous medium having a lower refractive index than that of the first layer.In operation of the assembly the gaseous medium in the gap 6 forms an interface 7 with the first layer inner surface 4 at which the laser light read in beam 2 passing through the first layer 1 through the outer surface 3 thereof is amplitude modulated by modulation of the gap 6, and thereby of the reflection coefficient at the interface, resulting from deformation of the deformable material of the second layer 5 and substantially totally reflected, as an amplitude modulated read out beam 8, back through the outer surface 3 of the first layer 1.
Preferably the gaseous medium is air having a refractive index of substantially 1.0. The material of the first layer 1 has a refractive index higher than that of the adjacent gaseous medium and preferably has a refractive index in the range of from 1.5 to 2.0. A suitable material for the first layer 1 is a glass with a re-fractive index in the range of from 1.5 to 2.0 or an optical polymer with the outer surface 3 and inner surface 4 being substantially planar and substantially parallel to one another.
As can be seen in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings a prism 9 is associated with or attached directly to the outer surface 3 of the first layer 1 to assist in addressing the interface 7 at angles higher than the critical angle. For a glass to air interface 7 the critical angle is 41.80. The prism 9 is refractive index matched to the material of the first layer and usually made of the same material, and at least minimises refraction at intermediate surfaces. The prim is made of light transparent material, preferably laser light transparent material, and preferably is the same material as that used for the first layer 1. Anti-reflection coatings may be provided on at least the two external faces of the prism 9.
The deformable material of the second layer 5 is at least one of an elastomer, gel, membrane, incompressible fluid, oil film or thermoplastic. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings the material is an elastomer. In this embodiment a third layer 10 is present in the form of a metallic coating, which is non-transparent to light, preferably laser light, on a surface of the second layer 5 which faces the gaseous medium in the gap 6 and forms a boundary therewith to the gap 6. The third layer 10 is an electrode and of sufficient optical density to absorb any transmitted read beam laser light.
Preferably the metallic coating forming the third layer 10 is of gold or a gold alloy.
In the first embodiment of Figure 1 the assembly includes a fourth layer 11 adjoining the surface of the second layer 5 most remote from the third layer 10. This fourth layer is made of a photo conductive material which is at least one of silicon, cadmium sulphide, zinc sulphide, zinc cadmium sulphide and
PVK-TNF (a combination of Poly-n-Vinylcarbozole and a dye 2, 4, 7 trinitrofluorenone). The photo conductor PVK-TNF is applied as a thin amorphous film prepared by dissolving PVK (organic Poly-n-Vinylcarbozole) and TNF (a dye 2, 4, 7, trinitrofluorenone) in a suitable solvent such as Tetrahydrofuran.
The assembly of the embodiment of Figure l also includes a fifth layer 12 of an electrode material transparent to light, preferably laser light, located adjacent to and in contact with the surface of the photo conductive fourth layer 11 most remote from the second layer 5. The fifth layer 12 is coupled to the third layer 10 via a source of electric energy, conveniently in the form of a D. C. power supply 13. Additionally the assembly of Figure 1 includes a sixth layer 14 of material which is transparent to a write beam 15 of light, preferably laser light.
The sixth layer 14 has an inner face 14a adjacent to or in contact with the outer face of the fifth layer 12 most remote from the fourth layer 11. The sixth layer is made of glass or an optical polymer.
The spatial light modulator assembly of the present invention is operable to impose spatial information on a coherent laser light beam. Amplitude modulation of the read in beam 2 is brought about by local spoiling of the total internal reflection condition (TIR) of the beam undergoing total internal reflection at the interface 7 between the first layer 1 and gaseous medium in the gap 6, which first layer and gaseous medium have differing refractive indices. This spoiling of the total internal reflection condition leads to the condition of frustrated total internal reflection and a local change in the reflection coefficient of the laser beam at that point.In the assembly of Figure 1 on exposure to an incoming write image on the write beam 15 the voltage distribution across the photo conductive fourth layer 11 will change causing a distribution of electro-mechanical forces across the deformable second layer 5. This will cause the second layer 5 to deform in a manner corresponding to the image on the write beam 15 so that the deformation of the second layer 5 modulates the gap 6 above the total internal reflection interface 7 and thus modifies the reflection coefficient at the interface 7.
The read in beam 2 striking the interface 7 is thus directly amplitude modulated and reflected at 8.
The optical read beam 2 and write beam 15 may be incoherent or coherent. A collimated read in beam 2 should be incident at the total internal reflection interface 7 at an angle greater than the critical angle for the interface 7. As previously described the critical angle for a glasslair interface is 41.8 degrees. The assembly may operate in either grey-scale or binary mode. Preferably the read in beam is a coherent laser beam and the write beam is an incoherent non-laser light beam.
The assembly of Figure 1 will display memory as long as the spatial charge density variation is maintained at the interface between the second and fourth layers. The photosensitivity of the assembly is determined by suitable choice of the photoconductive material composing the fourth layer and the extent of deformation is governed by the mechanical properties of the deformable second layer 5. The deformable material for the second layer may be any suitable material which physically deforms in response to an electrostatic field variation. Instead of the elastomer proposed in the Figure 1 assembly for the second layer 5, the layer may be made of a thermoplastic material such as a polystyrene, ester resin or other polymer which is charged with respect to a ground electrode and then exposed to the write beam 15.On subsequent heating of the thermoplastic layer to its softening point it distorts in a fashion corresponding to the image carried by the write beam 15.
Erasure of the image may be brought about by heating the thermoplastic layer to a higher temperature.
As a further alternative the deformable material of the second layer 5 may be an oil film, such as polysiloxin on a simple absorbing layer such as an epoxy resin which has a low thermal conductivity, absorbs the write beam light and generates a temperature profile. The heat generated then diffuses through the simple absorbing layer to the contacting oil film which distorts accordingly to modulate the gap 6.
The spatial light modulator assembly forming the second embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in Figure 2 is basically similar to the first embodiment of Figure 1 and like parts have been given like reference numbers and will not be further described in detail. In this second embodiment of Figure 2 the second layer 5 is a membrane coated with a thin metallic film such as the previously described gold or gold alloy to render the layer 5 an electrode. The assembly includes a spacer layer 16 made of insulating material and provided with a plurality of holes 17 therethrough forming cells or pixels 18 bridged by the second layer 5. The spacer layer 16 is in contact with the surface of the second layer 5 most remote from the gap 6.
Additionally the assembly of Figure 2 includes an electrode layer 19 made of electrically conductive material and having a plurality of spaced apart protrusions 20 on one surface thereof forming an array of electrodes. The electrode layer 19 is so located adjacent the spacer layer 16 on the side thereof most remote from the second layer 5 that the electrode protrusions 20 lie one at the base of each hole 17 in the spacer layer 16 so that with the third layer 10 being held at a substantially constant potential and with each electrode protrusion 20 in the array being driven by addressing electronics to a voltage corresponding to a desired value, a potential difference between the electrode protrusions 20 and the third layer 10 causes deflection of the second layer 5 towards or away from the interface 7 to amplitude modulate the read in beam 2 which is reflected as an amplitude modulated read out beam 8.
Preferably the means of address of the assembly 2 is electronic and the read in beam 2 may be incoherent or coherent as previously described. The addressable electrode protrusions 20 may be an array of MOS transistors.
The advantages of the assemblies of Figures l and 2 are that the read in beam only sees a flat surface which is the interface 7 and does not travel through or reflect off a physically deformed surface as in conventional modulator assemblies using a deformable layer. This has the advantage of avoiding beam distortion problems at the reflective interface 7 which remains flat during the operation of the assembly and this also removes any difficult to fulfil requirements for optical quality of the deformable material which is of vital importance in conventional modulator assemblies using deformable materials.
The modulation produced by the assembly is entirely amplitude modulation and is applied directly to the read beam.
There is no requirement for subsequent stages to achieve phase to amplitude conversion.
The spatial light modulator assembly of the present invention is suitable for operation by various means of address such as optical or electronic and may either have a large area deformable surface generating an analogue gap modulation or be pixelated utilising deformable elements such as the bridging portions overlying the holes 17 in the Figure 2 embodiment. As the modulation of reflectivity is produced by gap modulation, a wide variety of read out wavelengths is possible.
A spatial light modulator assembly of the present invention is suitable to form the input plane of an optical correlator or the
Fourier plane filter for such.
Claims (19)
1. A spatial light modulator assembly of layered sandwich form, including a first layer of material transparent to a read in beam of light, which first layer has an outer surface through which, in operation, an impinging read in beam of light passes into the first layer and an inner surface, a second layer of a deformable material which is physically deformable in response to variation in an electrostatic field, temperature or a potential difference and, located in a gap between the second layer and the inner surface of the first layer, a gaseous medium having a lower refractive index than that of the first layer, which gaseous medium, in operation of the assembly, forms an interface with the first layer inner surface at which the light read in beam passing into the first layer through the outer surface thereof is amplitude modulated by modulation of the gap and thereby of the reflection coefficient at the interface, resulting from deformation from the deformable material, and substantially totally reflected, as an amplitude modulated read out beam, back through the outer surface of the first layer.
2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gaseous medium is air having a refractive index of substantially 1.0.
3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first layer material has a refractive index in the range of from 1.5 to 2.0.
4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first layer material is glass or an optical polymer, and wherein the outer and inner surfaces are substantially planar and substantially parallel to one another.
5. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, including a prism made of light transparent material substantially refractive index matched to the first layer material and associated with or attached to the outer surface of the first layer to assist in addressing the interface at high angles and reducing refraction.
6. An assembly according to claim 5, including anti-reflection coatings on at least the two external faces of said prism.
7. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second layer deformable material is at least one of an elastomer, gel, membrane, incompressible fluid, oil film or thermoplastic.
8. An assembly according to claim 7, including a third layer in the form of a metallic coating, which is non-transparent to light, on a surface of the second layer which faces the gaseous medium and forms a boundary therewith to the gap, which third layer is an electrode and of sufficient optical density to absorb any transmitted read in beam light.
9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the metallic coating is made of gold or a gold alloy.
10. An assembly according to claim 8 or claim 9, including a fourth layer adjoining the surface of the second layer most remote from the third layer, which fourth layer is made of a photoconductive material.
11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the fourth layer material is at least one of silicon, cadmium sulphide, zine sulphide, zinc cadmium sulphide and PVK-TNF (a combination of
Poly-n-Vinylcarbozole and a dye 2, 4, 7 trinitrofluorenone).
12. An assembly according to claim 10 or claim 11 including a fifth layer of an electrode material, transparent to light, located adjacent to and in contact with the surface of the photoconductive fourth layer most remote from the second layer, which fifth layer is coupled to the third layer by a source of electrical energy.
13. An assembly according to claim 12, including a sixth layer of a material which is transparent to a write beam of light, which sixth layer has an inner face adjacent to or in contact with the outer face of the fifth layer most remote from the fourth layer.
14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein the sixth layer is made of glass or an optical polymer.
15. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the second layer is a membrane.
16. An assembly according to claim 15, including a spacer layer made of insulating material and provided with a plurality of holes therethrough forming cells or pixels bridge by said second layer, which spacer layer is in contact with the surface of the second layer most remote from the gap.
17. An assembly according to claim 16, including an electrode layer made of electrically conductive material and having a plurality of spaced apart protrusions on one surface thereof forming an array of electrodes, which electrode layer is so located adjacent to said spacer layer on the side thereof most remote from the second layer, that the electrode protrusions lie one at the base of each hole in the spacer layer, so that with the third layer being held at a substantially constant potential and with each electrode in the array being driven by addressing electronics to a voltage corresponding to a desired value, a potential difference between the electrodes and the third layer causing deflection of the second layer towards or away from the interface to amplitude modulate the read out beam.
18. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the read in beam and/or read out beam is or are of laser light.
19. A spatial light modulator assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9205660A GB2265024B (en) | 1992-03-14 | 1992-03-14 | A spatial light modulator assembly |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9205660A GB2265024B (en) | 1992-03-14 | 1992-03-14 | A spatial light modulator assembly |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9205660D0 GB9205660D0 (en) | 1992-04-29 |
| GB2265024A true GB2265024A (en) | 1993-09-15 |
| GB2265024B GB2265024B (en) | 1996-01-24 |
Family
ID=10712200
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9205660A Expired - Fee Related GB2265024B (en) | 1992-03-14 | 1992-03-14 | A spatial light modulator assembly |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2265024B (en) |
Cited By (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5771321A (en) * | 1996-01-04 | 1998-06-23 | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology | Micromechanical optical switch and flat panel display |
| WO1999012069A1 (en) * | 1997-09-04 | 1999-03-11 | The University Of British Columbia | Method and apparatus for controllable frustration of total internal reflection |
| WO2000010048A1 (en) * | 1998-08-13 | 2000-02-24 | The University Of British Columbia | Image displays based on frustrated total internal reflection |
| US6278541B1 (en) | 1997-01-10 | 2001-08-21 | Lasor Limited | System for modulating a beam of electromagnetic radiation |
| US6304365B1 (en) | 2000-06-02 | 2001-10-16 | The University Of British Columbia | Enhanced effective refractive index total internal reflection image display |
| WO2001037627A3 (en) * | 1999-11-26 | 2001-11-08 | Univ British Columbia | Optical switching by controllable frustration of total internal reflection |
| US6384979B1 (en) | 2000-11-30 | 2002-05-07 | The University Of British Columbia | Color filtering and absorbing total internal reflection image display |
| US6437921B1 (en) | 2001-08-14 | 2002-08-20 | The University Of British Columbia | Total internal reflection prismatically interleaved reflective film display screen |
| US6452734B1 (en) | 2001-11-30 | 2002-09-17 | The University Of British Columbia | Composite electrophoretically-switchable retro-reflective image display |
| WO2001090798A3 (en) * | 2000-05-19 | 2002-09-19 | Massachusetts Inst Technology | Frustrated total internal reflection-based micro-opto-electro-mechanical modulator/demodulator |
| WO2004023197A1 (en) * | 2002-09-06 | 2004-03-18 | Photonyx As | Method and device for variable optical attenuator |
| US6865011B2 (en) | 2002-07-30 | 2005-03-08 | The University Of British Columbia | Self-stabilized electrophoretically frustrated total internal reflection display |
| US6885496B2 (en) | 2002-03-04 | 2005-04-26 | The University Of British Columbia | Wide viewing angle reflective display |
| US7164536B2 (en) | 2005-03-16 | 2007-01-16 | The University Of British Columbia | Optically coupled toroidal lens:hemi-bead brightness enhancer for total internal reflection modulated image displays |
| CN100439969C (en) * | 2003-09-05 | 2008-12-03 | 福托尼克斯公司 | Method and apparatus for reducing polarization-dependent effects in tunable optical elements |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2238880A (en) * | 1989-12-06 | 1991-06-12 | Marconi Gec Ltd | Optical correction apparatus |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4165155A (en) * | 1978-03-27 | 1979-08-21 | International Business Machines Corporation | Amplitude modulation of light beam |
-
1992
- 1992-03-14 GB GB9205660A patent/GB2265024B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2238880A (en) * | 1989-12-06 | 1991-06-12 | Marconi Gec Ltd | Optical correction apparatus |
Cited By (22)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5771321A (en) * | 1996-01-04 | 1998-06-23 | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology | Micromechanical optical switch and flat panel display |
| US6278541B1 (en) | 1997-01-10 | 2001-08-21 | Lasor Limited | System for modulating a beam of electromagnetic radiation |
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| US5999307A (en) * | 1997-09-04 | 1999-12-07 | The University Of British Columbia | Method and apparatus for controllable frustration of total internal reflection |
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| US6304365B1 (en) | 2000-06-02 | 2001-10-16 | The University Of British Columbia | Enhanced effective refractive index total internal reflection image display |
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| US6437921B1 (en) | 2001-08-14 | 2002-08-20 | The University Of British Columbia | Total internal reflection prismatically interleaved reflective film display screen |
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| WO2004023197A1 (en) * | 2002-09-06 | 2004-03-18 | Photonyx As | Method and device for variable optical attenuator |
| US6897995B2 (en) | 2002-09-06 | 2005-05-24 | Photonyx As | Method and device for variable optical attenuator |
| CN100439969C (en) * | 2003-09-05 | 2008-12-03 | 福托尼克斯公司 | Method and apparatus for reducing polarization-dependent effects in tunable optical elements |
| EP1668398B1 (en) * | 2003-09-05 | 2009-04-15 | Photonyx AS | Method and device for reduction of polarization-dependent effects in a tunable optical component |
| US7656574B2 (en) | 2003-09-05 | 2010-02-02 | Photonyx As | Method and device for reduction of polarization-dependent effects in a tunable optical component |
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Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2265024B (en) | 1996-01-24 |
| GB9205660D0 (en) | 1992-04-29 |
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| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
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