Patent ID: 7576907
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: G02F,H01S

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for phase and amplitude light pulse shaping, comprising in combination: a pulsed light source for generating light having a chosen optical bandwidth and center wavelength; a focusing element having a front focal plane and an equally distant back Fourier plane; a dispersive element disposed at the approximate location of the front focal plane of said focusing element for receiving light from said pulsed light source and for dispersing light within the chosen bandwidth into wavelengths, wherein the dispersed light exiting said dispersive element is focused at the Fourier plane by said focusing element; a reflective liquid crystal spatial light modulator having a one-dimensional array of pixel electrodes with light transmissive gaps therebetween, wherein the refractive index of each gap may be varied by applying chosen voltages to adjacent pixel electrodes, disposed at the approximate location of the Fourier plane and adapted for receiving the focused, dispersed light, the focused light intercepting a large number of pixel electrodes in the array of pixel electrodes; and means for generating chosen voltages on the pixel electrodes of said spatial light modulator; whereby a high spatial-frequency periodic phase grating is formed effective for scattering selected components of the dispersed light to higher orders, and for reflecting the zero-order light beam back to said focusing element and onto said dispersive element from which a shaped pulse is reflected, a phase delay being generated on chosen wavelengths by biasing the phase grating with a desired offset phase.