This invention is a novel method to enhance the speed of spatial light monitors (SLMs), particularly for liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) SLMs. The technology realizes SLMs that can increase the speed of liquid crystal SLMs by at least 2 orders of magnitude with little change on how these devices are made, and can be used to create future SLMs with speeds that are 5-6 orders of magnitude faster than the state of the art. Furthermore, the proposal extends this concept to another platform involving photonic resonances in electrooptic materials, such as lithium niobate. In this case, the resonance is modulated to achieve a phase shift. However, to avoid sensitivity to environmental perturbations, the quality factor of the resonance is maintained at a moderate level. Background: Spatial light modulators are devices used to control the phase, amplitude, or polarization of light in spatially varying patterns. They have various applications in optics, including holography, optical trapping, and adaptive optics. The conventional limitation in SLM speed arises from the relatively slow response time of liquid crystal (LC) molecules, which need to rotate to align with an applied electric field. This alignment time is proportional to the square of the thickness of the LC cell, making thicker cells slower in response. For example, to control a full cycle of visible light, the liquid crystal cell thickness must be on the order of a few microns. The high-speed SLM employs a novel method of achieving a total phase shift to reduce the response time of the SLM. Applications:
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