Invention:
This invention pertains to a high-speed optical modulation device, specifically a liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) amplitude modulator using a thin nematic liquid crystal (LC) layer for ultra-fast switching. The modulator improves the manufacturability of high-speed optical devices, enabling applications such as chip-based camera arrays at a potentially lower cost.
Background:
Traditional high-speed optical modulators often use micromechanical mirrors, such as digital micromirror devices, but these are complex and expensive to fabricate. Liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) technology, which uses liquid crystals to modulate light, offers a simpler fabrication process and can achieve high-speed modulation. This invention improves the LCoS system by reducing the liquid crystal layer's thickness, allowing for faster switching times and increased pixel density.
Applications:
- High-speed optical devices
- Chip-based camera arrays
- Advanced optical waveguide and display technologies
- Laser projection systems
- Optical communications
- Photonics instruments
- Advanced imaging and microscopy systems
Advantages:
- Simpler fabrication process with reduced mechanical components
- Increased efficiency
- Higher pixel density, increasing spatial resolution
- Faster switching speeds
- More affordable compared to current solutions
- Alternative to Digital Micromirror Devices (DMD) for faster and less expensive projection systems
- Applicable in many technologies
