Liquid-crystal modulator array

Details Liquid-crystal modulator array Liquid-crystal modulator array

1991-02-05

1992-07-21

Miller, Stanley D.

Optical: systems and elements

Holographic system or element

Using a hologram as an optical element

359 36, 359 87, 359 94, 359559, G02F 11337, G02F 11343, G02F 1137, G02B 2746

Patent

active

051328240

ABSTRACT:
A liquid-crystal phase modulator array, comprising a planar electrode on one glass support and an array of finger electrodes on the other glass support with a nematic liquid filling the gap between the two supports. The alignment layer between the finger electrodes and the liquid crystal is rubbed to have an alignment direction extending along the finger electrodes and prependicular to the gap between them. The alignment layer between the planar electrode and the liquid crystal is rubbed in the anti-parallel direction. Voltages are selectively applied to different ones of the finger electrodes to provide a phase modulator array for light passing through the assembly. The alignment direction of the invention eliminates ragged edges adjacent the edges of the finger electrodes arising from an instability. Thereby, the finger electrodes can be made much narrower, and more pixels can be included in the array. The phase modulator of the invention can be advantageously used in a Fourier optical pulse shaper.

REFERENCES:
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patent: 4655547 (1987-04-01), Heritage et al.
patent: 4746193 (1988-05-01), Heritage et al.
patent: 4779959 (1988-10-01), Saunders
patent: 5018835 (1991-05-01), Dorschner
J. S. Patel et al., "A reliable method of alignment for smectic liquid crystals," Ferroelectrics, 1984, vol. 59, pp. 137-144.
A. M. Weiner et al., "Programmable femtosecond pulse shaping by use of a multielement liquid-crystal phase modulator," Optics Letters, 1990, vol. 15, pp. 326-328.
Meadowlark Optics, Polarization Optics Catalog & Handbook, 1990, Longmont, Colorado, pp. 20, 22.
A. M. Weiner et al., "Picosecond and femtosecond Fourier pulse shape synthesis," Revue de Physique Appliquee, 1987, vol. 22, pp. 1619-1628.

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