Spatial light modulators for incoherent/coherent multiplexed holographic recording and readout
First Claim
1. An optically addressed spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of pixels on at least two substrates, at least a first substrate and a second substrate, each said pixel comprising:
- (a) modulator means to modulate, in at least one of transmission and reflection, at least one of phase and amplitude of incident light from at least one readout source, said modulator means situated on one surface of said first substrate;
(b) detector means to detect light from at least one write source, said detector means situated on at least one of said surface of said first substrate and one surface of said second substrate, and said detector means generating an input electrical signal; and
(c) electronic means comprising nonlinear analog integrated electronic signal processing circuitry, said electronic means situated on at least one of said surface of said first substrate and said surface of said second substrate, such that said second substrate has situated on it at least one of part of said detector means and part of said electronic means, with said electronic means implementing a pre-specified input/output function, thereby generating an output electrical signal in response to said input electrical signal, said output electrical signal being suitable for driving said modulator means;
and at least a substantial subset of pixels further comprising;
(d) connecting means for electrically connecting and physically bonding said first substrate to said second substrate, said surface to said surface, said connecting means providing parallel electrical communication between the two said substrates, thereby enabling said modulator means to be controlled by said prespecified input/output function of said input electrical signal;
and at least one of said first substrate and said second substrate being substantially optically transparent to said light from at least one of said write sources and said read sources.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a novel spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of individual pixels that each contain separate detectors, electronic circuitry, and optical modulators. A primary application of such a spatial light modulator is to provide the requisite nonlinear relationship between a plurality of optical beams fanned in to each detector on the one hand, and a plurality of optical beams fanned out from such modulator on the other, on a pixel-by-pixel basis. In one embodiment, the spatial light modulator is configured to differentially amplify the inputs to two separate detectors within each pixel, and to transform i
The U.S. Government has certain rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. F49620-87-C0007, awarded by the Department of the Air Force, and to Grant No. AFOSR-89-0466, awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency through the Department of the Air Force.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An optically addressed spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of pixels on at least two substrates, at least a first substrate and a second substrate, each said pixel comprising:
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(a) modulator means to modulate, in at least one of transmission and reflection, at least one of phase and amplitude of incident light from at least one readout source, said modulator means situated on one surface of said first substrate; (b) detector means to detect light from at least one write source, said detector means situated on at least one of said surface of said first substrate and one surface of said second substrate, and said detector means generating an input electrical signal; and (c) electronic means comprising nonlinear analog integrated electronic signal processing circuitry, said electronic means situated on at least one of said surface of said first substrate and said surface of said second substrate, such that said second substrate has situated on it at least one of part of said detector means and part of said electronic means, with said electronic means implementing a pre-specified input/output function, thereby generating an output electrical signal in response to said input electrical signal, said output electrical signal being suitable for driving said modulator means; and at least a substantial subset of pixels further comprising; (d) connecting means for electrically connecting and physically bonding said first substrate to said second substrate, said surface to said surface, said connecting means providing parallel electrical communication between the two said substrates, thereby enabling said modulator means to be controlled by said prespecified input/output function of said input electrical signal; and at least one of said first substrate and said second substrate being substantially optically transparent to said light from at least one of said write sources and said read sources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An optically addressed spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of pixels on at least one substrate, each said pixel comprising:
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(a) modulator means comprising an amplitude modulator means that principally modulates the amplitude but not the phase of incident light from at least one readout source, said amplitude modulator means being located in a first layer, and a phase modulator means that principally modulates the phase but not the amplitude of said incident light from said at least one readout source, said phase modulator means being located in a second layer; and (b) detector means to detect light from at least one write source, said detector means generating an input electrical signal; and (c) electronic means comprising integrated electronic circuitry, said electronic means implementing a pre-specified input/output function, thereby generating an electrical amplitude-modulator drive signal that controls said amplitude modulator means, and an electrical phase-modulator drive signal that controls said phase modulator means. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of pixels on at least two substrates, at least a first substrate and a second substrate, each said pixel comprising:
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(a) phase modulator means to modulate, in at least one of transmission and reflection, the phase of incident light from at least one coherent readout source, said phase modulator means situated on one surface of said first substrate; (b) electronic means comprising an integrated electronic circuit, said electronic means situated on at least one of said surface of said first substrate and said surface of said second substrate, such that said second substrate has situated on it at least part of said electronic means, said electronic means capable of driving each said phase modulator means into oscillation, said oscillation having a center frequency; said plurality of pixels further comprising; (c) means for setting said center frequency of said oscillation of each of at least a portion of said phase modulator means in said plurality of pixels to a distinct value, thereby providing mutual incoherence among a set of resultant beams modulated by said portion of said phase modulator means; and at least a substantial subset of pixels further comprising; (d) connecting means for electrically connecting and physically bonding said first substrate to said second substrate, said surface to said surface, said connecting means providing parallel electrical communication between the two said substrates, thereby enabling said phase modulator means to be controlled by said integrated electronic circuit within each said pixel in said substantial subset of pixels; and at least one of said first substrate and said second substrate being substantially optically transparent to said light from said at least one readout source. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification