High Speed Amplitude-Based Liquid Crystal SLM

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