Patent ID: 8310607
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: G02F,G06K

Abstract:
1. A liquid crystal spatial light modulator comprising, a first substrate having multiple individual electrodes, a second substrate having a common electrode, a driving circuit driving the individual electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate, the liquid crystal spatial light modulator performing spatial light modulation by applying a predetermined voltage to each of the individual electrodes formed on the first substrate in order to modulate a refractive index of the liquid crystal layer, wherein, the electrodes formed on the first substrate are segmented into multiple regions including at least a first region and a second region, a mode for applying voltage in one region is made different from another, a wavefront direction is changed in the first region to adjust an optical coupling coefficient on an output side, so as to perform intensity modulation, and light is subjected to phase modulation in the second region, thereby achieving both the intensity modulation and the phase modulation, using only one element, and wherein, gradient voltage is applied to the first region, and according to the application of the gradient voltage, a gradient is formed in an effective phase difference within the liquid crystal layer of the first region, and according to the gradient in the effective phase difference, the phase of the outgoing light being outputted from the light outputting surface is shifted, thereby adjusting a traveling direction of the outgoing light and adjusting an optical coupling coefficient, so as to perform the intensity modulation, and a predetermined constant voltage is applied to all over the second region, and with the application of the constant voltage, an effective phase difference is formed within the liquid crystal layer of the second region, and according to the effective phase difference, the phase of the outgoing light outputted from the light outputting surface is adjusted homogeneously within the region, so as to perform the phase modulation of the outgoing light.