Optically addressed spatial light modulator and method
US5691836A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 11, 1995 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 11, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG09G2360/142
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optically addressed spatial light modulator includes a reflective modulation element, a detector for detecting radiation, a micro-lens focusing a write beam on the detector and a read beam on the modulator element, and a circuit receiving a signal output from the detector generated in response to the write beam. The circuit alters the modulation element in accordance with the signal from the photodetector. The read beam is thus modulated in accordance with the amount of alteration of the modulation element. The read and write beams intercept the micro-lens at different angles and may have the same or differing wavelengths. Including multiple photodetectors on a single pixel allows use of a plurality of write beams. An array of the elements may be used to modulate a plurality of read beams.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.