Display method with compensation of the spatial frequency response of a liquid crystal spatial light modulator for holographic femtosecond laser processing

Liquid crystal spatial light modulators, which are widely used as display devices for computer-generated holograms, have modulation characteristics that depend on spatial frequency. We describe a method for displaying a computer-generated hologram on a liquid crystal spatial light modulator with compensation of its spatial frequency response. Using this method, we demonstrate a binary phase grating with smaller dependence on the spatial frequency. We also demonstrate application of the display method to holographic femtosecond laser processing.     

Digital-to-analog image conversion with an optically addressed spatial light modulator

The possibility of using ferroelectric liquid-crystal optically addressed spatial light modulators to transfer images from silicon backplane devices is investigated. We propose a drive scheme for optically addressed spatial light modulators to perform digital-to-analog image conversion based on the speed performances of current and future silicon backplane devices and on temporal averaging. The validity of the drive scheme is experimentally demonstrated with a LED used to encode the gray levels, and we discuss the performance of the display system.     

两维空间光调制器及其在实时图象处理中的应用

本文系统的报道了我们研制成功的几种两维空间光调制器,包括液晶光阀(LCLV),Si-LCLV,CRT-LCLV,和光折空间光调制器(PR-SLM)。最后给出利用它们在实时图象处理中的应用成果。     

Speckle reduction methods in laser-based picture projectors

Laser sources have been promised for many years to be better light sources as compared to traditional lamps or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for projectors, which enable projectors having wide colour gamut for vivid image, super brightness and high contrast for the best picture quality, long lifetime for maintain free operation, mercury free, and low power consumption for green environment. A major technology obstacle in using lasers for projection has been the speckle noise caused by to the coherent nature of the lasers. For speckle reduction, current state of the art solutions apply moving parts with large physical space demand. Solutions beyond the state of the art need to be developed such as integrated optical components, hybrid MOEMS devices, and active phase modulators for compact speckle reduction. In this article, major methods reported in the literature for the speckle reduction in laser projectors are presented and explained. With the advancement in semiconductor lasers with largely reduced cost for the red, green and the blue primary colours, and the developed methods for their speckle reduction, it is hoped that the lasers will be widely utilized in different projector applications in the near future.     

SLM-based maskless lithography for TFT-LCD

Maskless photolithographic methods have been developed using digital micromirror devices (DMDs) and grating light valves (GLVs), which are spatial light modulators (SLMs), because liquid crystal display (LCD) panel industries spend huge amounts of money for the cost of TFT (thin film resist)-LCD photomasks. The technology has been developed for implementing 2 μm bitmap resolutions, which is a requirement for the lithographic process, though the process time is still slow for mass-production system. A DMD-based maskless exposure uses 405 nm-wavelength semiconductor lasers as an illumination source and optical engines that contain DMDs, micro lens arrays (MLAs), and projection lenses. A GLV-based system consists of UV lasers and optical write engines, which are constructed with the GLV, grating optics, and imaging lenses. Since many companies have been trying to overcome the time limitations, the maskless technology will be realized in the LCD industry in near future.     

Compatibility of temporal multiplexed spatial light modulator with optical image processing

The tendency today is to replace high-dynamic light modulators by high-speed binary ones (of which the micromirror is the best example). This kind of spatial light modulators (SLM) fulfils all the present needs in displays. They are used in optical communications as binary systems and also in display applications (video projectors) with temporal multiplexing, in order to generate greyscale or colour images. In optical processing, and in the majority of coherent applications, temporal dithering introduces some distortions. In this paper, this point is studied with simulations. We point out that temporal multiplexing cannot be used in the Fourier plane. In the imaging plane, the distortion is weak if the filter has a positive impulse response.     

Plasmonic all-optical bistable device based on nematic liquid crystal

Low-power all-optical bistable liquid crystal (LC) devices are reported in which surface plasmons propagate along a metallic grating. The threshold switching illumination was 1.4 mW/mm² in the device with the twisted-nematic LC cell. This is a lower value than for all-optical bistable devices reported previously. This low-power bistability device can be used in two-dimensional optical memories or spatial light modulators.     

Phase-only optical encryption

We have implemented a phase-only optical encryption and decryption system with a readout based on the generalized phase-contrast method. The experimental system has been implemented with liquid-crystal spatial light modulators to generate binary phase-encrypted masks and a decrypting key. A phase-contrast filter is used to display the phase information.     

Visible reconstruction by a circular holographic display from digital holograms recorded under infrared illumination

A circular holographic display that consists of phase-only spatial light modulators is used to reconstruct images in visible light from digital holograms recorded under infrared (10.6?μm) illumination. The reconstruction yields a holographic digital video display of a three-dimensional ghostlike image of an object floating in space where observers can move and rotate around it.     

斜入射引入动态多重散射机制的激光散斑抑制

散斑抑制一直是激光显示技术的研究热点。对激光光束经SiO₂溶液所形成散斑的特性分析,建立了多重散射与散斑颗粒大小的联系。结合动态光散射理论,提出利用斜入射引入动态多重散射机制的激光散斑抑制方法,并构建由静态散射片和装有粒径为300 nm、摩尔浓度为3.0×10-4 μm-3的SiO₂悬浮液的光通管组成的散斑抑制装置,将其置入激光显示系统的光源部分。针对光束以不同入射角进入SiO₂悬浮液对散斑图像对比度影响进行了系统实验分析。结果表明,光束以约8°进入SiO₂悬浮液能将散斑图像的对比度从0.43降低至0.067。通过该方法实现了散斑颗粒的空间平均和散斑图像的时间平均,提高了散斑抑制的效果。散斑抑制单元无需振动装置且便于集成到激光投影系统中,不仅提高了系统的可靠性也减小了成本。     

Polarization and intensity correlations in stochastic electromagnetic beams upon interaction with devices of?polarization optics

Based on the recently formulated unified theory of coherence and polarization of light, we explore the behavior of the intensity–intensity correlations and the auxiliary quantity called the degree of cross-polarization in stochastic electromagnetic beams upon their passage through the devices of polarization optics. In particular, the effects of deterministic devices (such as polarizers, absorbers, compensators, and rotators) as well as of random devices (such as spatial light modulators) on passing beams are investigated. Our results may find applications in polarimetric communications, imaging and sensing.     

DMD光栅的衍射特性及其在可调谐激光中的应用

相比较于液晶空间光调制器,数字微镜晶片(DMD)具有开关速度快、显示精度高、偏振不相关、衍射效率高和宽带调制等优势。研究利用DMD的衍射效应作为波长选择器,将其应用于可调谐光纤激光器中,理论推导这种二维DMD光栅的衍射效率与入射光角度,像素间距等物理量之间的定量关系,重点讨论了两种不同像素间距的0.7″和0.55″DMD在单像素因子和多像素干涉共同作用下的衍射级数和强度分布。研究结果表明:0.7″DMD在光强不显著为零且满足实验约束条件下,允许出现4个干涉极大值,但由于极大值位置均远离闪耀条件,因此光强相对较弱。0.55″DMD仅出现1个干涉极大值,且接近闪耀条件,因此光强和效率均明显高于0.7″DMD的情况。由此可见,在可调谐光纤激光器中,利用0.55″DMD光栅作为波长选择器更有利于减小衍射损耗,提高系统稳定性。     

Study on the reduction of speckle noise in the reconstructed image of digital hologram

As one of the most important 3-D display technique, reduction of speckle noise in the reconstructed image of digital holography should be grounded on the digital hologram itself. Based on the whole process of the recording and reconstruction of digital holography, the optical distributions of recorded object and reconstructed image of digital holography have been studied. It has been proposed that the root formation cause of speckle noise in its reconstructed image is the speckle noise formed on the recorded object surface when illuminated by coherent light because of its optical roughness. A novel approach has been presented to reduce speckle noise in digital holography by changing the interference structure of hologram itself. First, by reducing the speckle noise in the reconstructed image, the distribution of ideal reconstruction light with reduced speckle noise is acquired. Then in turn, taking the ideal reconstruction light with reduced speckle noise as ideal object light, a new hologram can be rebuilt, which can reconstruct the ideal object light. The experimental results are given to confirm the proposed method. Therefore, it offers a brand-new thought and practical way to reduce the speckle noise in the reconstructed image of digital holography.     

Beam steering with two ferroelectric liquid-crystal spatial light modulators

Ferroelectric liquid-crystal spatial light modulators (FLC SLM's) are binary modulating devices that can be used for flexible beam steering in the microsecond range. Because they are binary, at least 60% of the light power is lost to unwanted diffraction orders, however. We suggest the use of a second FLC SLM, synchronously operating in amplitude-modulating mode, to block the unwanted orders. The proposed beam-steering method is demonstrated in a simple scanner experiment. The efficiency of the suggested beam steerer is independent of the number of steering directions.     

Spatiotemporal multiplexing and streaming of hologram data for full-color holographic video display

We propose a new approach to spatiotemporally multiplex sub-holograms and stream hologram data in parallel by using multiple spatial light modulators (SLMs) to increase the spatiotemporal resolution of holographic display system. With the proposed approach, we have achieved a spatiotemporal resolution of 4.5 × 10¹⁰ pixel/s, as compared with 1.89 × 10⁹ pixel/s of a single SLM. Each frame of computer-generated hologram video has a pixel count of 378 Mpixels and is divided into 288 sub-holograms, each of 1.31 Mpixels. During the playback of holographic video, these sub-holograms are spatiotemporally multiplexed and streamed in parallel to form the integrated hologram within 16.67 ms, which enables full-color holographic video display with a 10-in. diagonal at a hologram data frame rate of 60 frames per second (fps). New SLM devices with higher spatiotemporal resolution need to be developed in order to meet the data bandwidth requirement of about 10¹²–10¹⁴ pixel/s for future 3D holographic displays.     

Oblique-Incidence Characteristics of a Parallel-Aligned Nematic-Liquid-Crystal Spatial Light Modulator

We have developed optically-addressed and electrically-addressed liquid crystal spatial phase-only light modulators having no pixelized structures. We obtained a large depth of phase-only modulation and high diffraction efficiency based on the electro-optical characteristics of a parallel-aligned nematic liquid crystal. These spatial light modulators (SLM) are of the reflection type, so there would be a loss of power in the readout light from the half mirror, which was set up so as to separate the incident and reflected lights. To optimize the characteristics of a reflection type spatial phase-only light modulator, we have proposed an oblique incident optical readout setup. We have examined the effect of conditions such as the polarization direction and the incidence angle of the readout light, and the orientation of liquid crystal molecules in the SLM. High diffraction efficiency close to the theoretical maximum value was obtained by adjusting the above conditions. The simulation analysis can well explain the experimental results of phase modulation.     

Real-time, whole-field speckle photography using a bistable optically addressed spatial light modulator

The application of a bistable optically addressed spatial light modulator for real-time visualization of solid-body displacement fields is described. Double-exposure speckle patterns are recorded on the spatial light modulator and a whole-field filtering technique is used to generate fringes of constant displacement.     

利用振动光纤减弱激光散斑的研究

在激光投影显示技术中,引入振动光纤的方法能够以较小的能量损失减弱激光散斑.本文利用广义范西特-泽尼克定理对激光投影显示中采用振动光纤抑制散斑做了理论分析.结果表明,散斑衬比度的大小取决于光纤的模式数和投影系统的光瞳大小,对于相同大小的像面,收集更多的光纤模式数和增大孔径均可减弱散斑衬比度.用两种不同的多模光纤所做的对比...     

Design and verification of diffractive optical elements for speckle generation of 3-D range sensors

The optical projection using speckles is one of the structured light methods that have been applied to three-dimensional (3-D) range sensors. This paper investigates the design and fabrication of diffractive optical elements (DOEs) for generating the light field with uniformly distributed speckles. Based on the principles of computer generated holograms, the iterative Fourier transform algorithm was adopted for the DOE design. It was used to calculate the phase map for diffracting the incident laser beam into a goal pattern with distributed speckles. Four patterns were designed in the study. Their phase maps were first examined by a spatial light modulator and then fabricated on glass substrates by microfabrication processes. Finally, the diffraction characteristics of the fabricated devices were verified. The experimental results show that the proposed methods are applicable to the DOE design of 3-D range sensors. Furthermore, any expected diffraction area and speckle density could be possibly achieved according to the relations presented in the paper.     

白光在LiNbO3∶Fe晶体中写入的任意折射率分布光波导

在理论分析LiNbO3∶Fe晶体中光致折射率变化分布与写入光的强度分布之间关系的基础上，提出了一种在该晶体中写入具有任意折射率分布光波导的新方法.利用由白光经电寻址空间光调制器得到的强度分布不同的片光辐照晶体，分别写入了折射率呈误差函数分布和平方律分布的光波导结构.采用干涉法测量了晶体中的光致折射率变化，并用推导出的折射率变化分布解析表达式很好地拟合了测量数据.实验结果表明，该方法是可行的.利用白光光源结合高分辨率的空间光调制器有望在多种光折变材料中制备出具有任意折射率分布的高质量光波导.