High-resolution spatial light modulator for 3-dimensional holographic display
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A high-resolution spatial light modulator, comprising:
- a substrate;
an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image.
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Abstract
A high-resolution spatial light modulator and systems incorporating the modulator. The modulator includes an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on a substrate and each of the reflective elements are capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each of the reflective elements maintains a stable optical property. A computer selectively controls the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired holographical or optical image.
351 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A high-resolution spatial light modulator, comprising:
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a substrate;
an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A holographic display, comprising:
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a high-resolution spatial light modulator, comprising a substrate;
an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image;
a light source disposed at an angle to the spatial light modulator and selectively directing light at the array of reflective elements, wherein the array of multistable reflective elements generating a holographic image from the reflected light. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A data storage system, comprising:
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a high-resolution spatial light modulator, comprising a substrate;
an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image;
a laser light source emitting a beam of light;
a beam splitter separating the light beam emitted from the laser light source onto object and reference beams;
a shutter, selectively letting the object light beam through at time of data recording, and blocking object beam at time of data reconstructing;
a rotating mirror, reflecting reference beam at selectively controlled angle;
a hologram storage volume, storing at least one hologram; and
an array of photo detectors, detecting reconstructed data pattern. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A pattern recognition system, comprising:
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a high-resolution spatial light modulator, comprising a substrate;
an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image;
a first light source that selectively focuses a beam of light on the array of reflective elements;
a beam splitter separating the light beam of the first light source into object and reference beams;
a second light source that focuses incident feedback light on the array of reflective elements to thereby generate an optical feedback signal;
a circuit for amplifying and processing the feedback signal;
a hologram storage volume containing at least one holographic pattern; and
an array of photo detectors, wherein the image detector determines the presence of the at least one holographic pattern in the incident light based upon the feedback signal. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A holographic optical signal switching system, comprising:
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a high-resolution spatial light modulator, comprising a substrate;
an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image;
an array of optical fibers with at least some of the optical fibers having open ends disposed in front of the spatial light modulator;
a plurality of micro-lenses, each of which is located near an open end of an optical fibers; and
a device for synthesis of a holographic pattern, wherein the device establishes communication between given pair of optical fibers by computing a holographic pattern and then displaying the holographic pattern on the spatial light modulator such that light from a given source optical fiber is reflected and focused upon the open end of the destination optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A direct-write optical lithography system, comprising:
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a high-resolution spatial light modulator, comprising a substrate;
an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image;
a light source;
a light collimating system;
a demagnifying optical system for focusing an image generated by the spatial light modulator onto a substrate; and
a processor for generating and storing image patterns.
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25. A system for illuminating, tracking and aimpoint selection of moving targets, comprising:
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a first laser for initial illumination of a target;
a second laser frequency-locked with first laser and generating a reference beam;
an array of photodetectors for detecting an interference pattern produced by the first laser beam reflected from a target and the second reference laser beam;
a digital image processing system for synthesis of a hologram, including;
a high-resolution spatial light modulator for displaying a hologram, comprising a substrate;
an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image;
a laser illuminating said spatial light modulator; and
a collimating optics for directing reflected light from the spatial light modulator onto the target, wherein a hologram is computed by the digital image processing system such that reflected laser light produces a conjugate light beam that is focused upon the target. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method of generating a holographic image, comprising the steps of:
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emitting light having a wavelength λ
from a light source;
receiving the light at a high-resolution spatial light modulator, including a substrate, an array of optically multistable reflective elements forming a plurality of pixels each having a width thereto, the reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of reversible structural change to reflect or absorb incident light having a wavelength λ
, and wherein at least some of the plurality of pixels have a width equal to or less than λ
, and including a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause the pixels to selectively reflect an image;
displaying a hologram pattern with the array of multistable reflective elements; and
reflecting light from the array of reflective elements to thereby form a holographic image. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of holographic transmission of a remote 3-dimensional image, comprising the steps of:
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acquiring data representing a 3-dimensional image;
digitizing the 3-dimensional image data;
transmitting the digitized data;
receiving the digitized data at a receiver;
generating a holographic image by conversion of the digitized data; and
displaying the holographic image on a high-resolution spatial light modulator comprised of;
a substrate, an array of optically multistable reflective elements disposed on the substrate and capable of structural change into one of a plurality of stable states wherein each reflective element maintains a stable optical property in each of the plurality of states; and
a control to selectively control the state of the array of reflective elements to thereby cause each reflective element of the array to selectively reflect incident light such that the array of reflective elements can generate a desired optical image;
emitting light from a light source disposed at an angle to the spatial light modulator and selectively directing light at the array of reflective elements;
wherein the array of multistable reflective elements displays a hologram pattern, thereby generating a holographic image from the reflected light. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
emitting a light beam from a laser;
splitting the light beam into reference and object beams;
illuminating the image with the object light beam; and
generating a hologram pattern on an array of photo detectors by interference of reference light beam and light reflected from the image.
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34. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of acquiring data representing a 3-dimensional image is comprised of the steps of:
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viewing the image with each of a plurality of cameras, each camera capable of at least gathering a stereoscopic image;
gathering the stereoscopic representations of the image from each of the plurality of stereoscopic cameras; and
generating data representing a 3-dimensional image based upon the images gathered from the plurality of cameras.
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35. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:
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converting the transmitted digitized data into a stereoscopic image; and
displaying said stereoscopic image on a stereoscopic display.
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36. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of acquiring data representing a 3-dimensional image occurs at least at 24 images per second.
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37. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:
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compressing the digitized data by generating a compact standard-based digital representation of 3-dimensional scene, which comprises a digital description of geometrical shape and visual properties of 3-dimensional objects within the scene;
transmitting the compressed data; and
decompressing received data by converting the compact standard-based digital representation to complete digital data suitable for displaying the 3-dimensional image.
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Specification