Optically addressed spatial light modulator and method

• Main Authors: SACHS JONATHAN A, WOODALL JERRY M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.10.2008
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF

An optical device has an electrically insulating first barrier layer disposed over a first electrode layer, a photoconductive layer disposed over the first barrier layer, and a carrier confining layer disposed over the photoconducting layer. The carrier confining layer defines a volume throughout which a plurality of carrier traps are dispersed. Further, an electrically insulating second barrier layer is disposed over the carrier confining layer, a light blocking layer is disposed over the second barrier layer for blocking light of a selected wavelength band. A reflective layer is disposed over the light blocking layer for reflecting light within the selected wavelength band, a birefringent or dispersive layer is disposed over the reflective layer, and an optically transmissive second electrode layer is disposed over the birefringent or dispersive layer. A method is also disclosed, as are additional layers intervening between those detailed above.