Thin film vanadium oxide spatial light modulators and methods
First Claim
1. A device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising:
- a substrate;
an array of temperature changing means deposited on the substrate; and
a thin film comprising a vanadium oxide (VO) compound, the VO compound being deposited on the temperature changing means array;
wherein, when an electrical current is applied to a temperature changing means, the temperature changing means changes temperature thereby changing the reflective value of the VO compound deposited on the temperature changing means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Vanadium dioxide (VO2) based infrared spatial light modulators (SLM) in four embodiments are disclosed:
(1) A VO2 thin film is deposited on a planar diode array. Each diode constitutes a "pixel" of the SLM. Power provided to a diode permits accurate thermal control about the thin film'"'"'s hysteresis. Initial biasing of the diode array is required to the base of the VO2 '"'"'s hysteresis curve.
(2) & (3) VO2 is deposited on a thermoelectric array which can be an array of doped lines of p and n type material or a conductive material between two electrical contacts. The pixels have the ability to both heat and cool the VO2 film, thereby allowing the array to be operated in a bistable mode. Bistable operation requires external biasing to the center of the VO2 '"'"'s hysteresis curve.
(4) A VO2 thin film deposited on a substrate which is spaced a distance, L, from an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers for heating the VO2.
40 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising:
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a substrate; an array of temperature changing means deposited on the substrate; and a thin film comprising a vanadium oxide (VO) compound, the VO compound being deposited on the temperature changing means array; wherein, when an electrical current is applied to a temperature changing means, the temperature changing means changes temperature thereby changing the reflective value of the VO compound deposited on the temperature changing means. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising:
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a substrate; an array of heating means deposited on the substrate; and a thin film comprising a vanadium oxide (VO) compound, the VO compound being deposited on the heating means array; wherein, when an electrical current is applied to a heating means, the heating means heats the VO compound deposited on the heating means causing the reflective value of the VO compound to increase. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising:
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a substrate; an array of diodes, each diode comprising a p-n junction and having electrical contacts, the diodes being deposited in the substrate and isolated electrically from each other; and a thin film comprising a vanadium oxide (VO) compound, the VO compound being deposited on the diode array; wherein, when an electrical current is applied to a diode through the electrical contacts, the diode heats the VO compound deposited on the diode causing the reflective value of the VO compound to increase. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising:
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a substrate comprising an array of pixels; a first electrical contact deposited on the base of the pixel array; a second electrical contact deposited on the top of the pixel array; and a thin film comprising a vanadium oxide (VO) compound, the VO compound being deposited on the opposite side of the second electrical contact from the pixel array; wherein, when an electrical current is passed between the first and second electrical contacts, depending on the direction and magnitude of the electrical current, each array pixel becomes a thermoelectric heater/cooler, each array pixel heating/cooling the VO compound deposited on each array pixel causing the reflective value of the VO compound to increase/decrease, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising:
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a substrate; an array of p-n junctions comprising an array of doped lines of p and n type material, the p doped lines being perpendicular to the n doped lines, each p-n junction acting as a thermoelectric heater/cooler; a layer of electrically insulating material deposited on the p-n junction array; and a thin film comprising a vanadium oxide (VO) compound, the VO compound being deposited on the layer of electrically insulating material; wherein, when an electrical current is passed through a p-n junction, depending on the direction and magnitude of the electrical current, each p-n junction becomes a thermoelectric heater/cooler, each p-n junction heating/cooling the VO compound deposited on the p-n junction causing the reflective value of the VO compound to increase/decrease, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising:
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an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), each VCSEL having an electrical contact; a substrate spaced a distance from the VCSEL array; and a thin film comprising a vanadium oxide (VO) compound, the VO compound being deposited on the opposite side of the substrate from the VCSEL array; wherein, when an electrical current to a VCSEL exceeds a threshold current lasing occurs providing localized heating to the substrate and thereby to the VO compound deposited on the substrate, causing the reflective value of the VO compound to increase. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising the step of
changing the reflective value of a thin film of a vanadium oxide compound deposited on a temperature changing means array by providing an electrical current to the temperature changing means array, the temperature changing means array changing the temperature of the vanadium oxide compound.
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43. A method for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising the step of
increasing the reflective value of a thin film of a vanadium oxide compound deposited on a heating means array by providing an electrical current to the heating means array, the heating means array heating the vanadium oxide compound.
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44. A method for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising the step of
increasing the reflective value of a thin film of a vanadium oxide compound deposited on a diode array by providing an electrical current to the diode array, the diode array heating the vanadium oxide compound.
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45. A method for making a device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising the steps of:
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depositing an array of temperature changing means on a substrate; and depositing a thin film of a vanadium oxide compound on the temperature changing means array; wherein, when an electrical current is applied to a temperature changing means, the temperature changing means changes the temperature of the vanadium oxide compound causing the reflective value of the vanadium oxide compound to change.
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46. A method for making a device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising the steps of:
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depositing an array of heating means on a substrate; and depositing a thin film of a vanadium oxide compound on the heating means array; wherein, when an electrical current is applied to a heating means, the heating means heats the vanadium oxide compound deposited on the heating means causing the reflective value of the vanadium oxide compound to increase.
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47. A method for making a device for modulating light as a function of spatial position comprising the steps of:
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depositing an array of diodes in a substrate, each diode comprising a p-n junction and having an electrical contact, the diodes being electrically isolated from each other; and depositing a thin film of a vanadium oxide compound on the diode array; wherein, when an electrical current is applied to a diode, the diode heats the vanadium oxide compound deposited on the diode causing the reflective value of the vanadium oxide compound to increase.
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Specification