Patent ID: 6278540
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
A device operable to change a property of an optical beam, comprising:a first transparent optical element of a first refractive index having a first optical surface and a second optical surface that is spaced from and substantially parallel to said first optical surface, said first transparent optical element configured to guide an incident beam between said first and said second optical surfaces by reflecting from a plurality of pixel areas on said second optical surface;a transparent conducting layer formed on said second optical surface;a layer of electro-optic material formed over said transparent conducting layer and having a second refractive index which is smaller than said first refractive index when biased at a first state and is substantially equal to said first refractive index when biased at a second state;a plurality of electrically independent transparent electrodes formed over said electro-optic material to divide said layer of electro-optic material into a plurality of pixels that are respectively located over said pixel areas on said second optical surface of said first optical transparent element; anda control circuit coupled to independently bias each electrode relative to said transparent conducting layer between said first and said second states to reflect said incident beam from a selected pixel area to said first optical surface by total internal reflection in said first transparent optical element when a respective electrode formed over said selected pixel area is biased at said first state and to transmit said incident beam through said second optical surface and said electro-optic material when said respective electrode is biased at said second state, without confining light in said electro-optic material.