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D
igital spatial light modulators
(SLMs) provide fine-grained control
of light, allowing the creation of
two-dimensional light patterns with user-
controllable characteristics. The devices,
which have a myriad of uses in photonics,
consist of an array of pixels, each of which
can individually control the phase or
amplitude of light passing through it or
reflecting off it. In imaging, SLMs can be
used to flatten out a wavefront, correcting
for aberrations. They can also break a laser
beam down into individually addressable
spots, so that each spot is concentrated at
a different point in a three-dimensional
space. In telecommunications they can
encode signals, increasing a light beam’s data
bandwidth. They can even create images of
Meadowlark optics
scenes in infrared light, allowing defence
contractors to test the infrared targeting
systems on their missiles.
“Some of the applications are fascinating,”
says Ross Nakatsuji, sales group leader at
Cambridge Research and Instrumentation,
a leading supplier of SLMs based in the
United States. He sees increasing use of type of modulation you need with a single have 98-μm-wide pixels. The company’s
SLMs in biomedical applications, whether pulse [from a single laser],” Serati says. Hex SLM is a two-dimensional device
it’s allowing more precise cutting in laser Pulse shaping can also be used to generate designed for adaptive optics applications,
surgery, or using optical tweezers to separate point-source X-rays for high-resolution such as high-resolution imaging through a
cells in a Petri dish. Researchers wishing to X-ray imaging. Serati says that efforts are medium that induces optical aberrations. It
sort cells can place an array of focused spots now focused on increasing the spectral has an array of variable retarders acting as
(generated by an SLM) on a single cell and range of operation of SLMs, particularly in a real-time, programmable phase mask for
use them as grappling hooks to move the cell the infrared. Manufacturers are also always wavefront correction of a linear polarized
around. The same ability is useful for people working on ways to improve efficiency, source. It removes aberration by introducing
carrying out nano-assembly, moving beads modulation depth and phase stability. “It’s the opposite phase shift. The Hex also comes
or carbon nanotubes into place. a pretty interesting technology, with a lot of in both an amplitude and a phase version,
Like so many other photonics versatility,” he says. with 1,000-μm-wide pixels. Versions are
components, SLMs have evolved from As for future development, Nakatsuji says available to handle wavelengths centred from
complex set-ups that required an expert to that there is demand for SLMs with higher 450 to 1,800 nm. The devices use nematic
use them to plug-and-play items that all pixel counts and smaller devices that can be liquid crystal retarders on an optical-quality
sorts of researchers can use. easily integrated with other equipment. synthetic fused silica substrate. They have
Steve Serati, CEO of Boulder Nonlinear full frame update rates from 10 ms to
Systems, says that he sees increasing use PRODUCT ROUND-UP 50 days. Variation in retardance is <2%
of SLMs for optical pulse shaping. People The ShapeShifter Linear Array spatial root-mean-squared over a clear aperture.
with wideband sources are using SLMs light modulator from Meadowlark Optics Distortion of the transmitted wavefront
to modulate laser pulses to give them the (Frederick, Colorado, USA) has a linear pixel is <λ/4 at 632.8 nm and beam deviation is
characteristics they need for a particular array geometry and offers computer control <2 arcmin. Transmittance without polarizers
application. For instance, coherent anti- of the temporal profile of femtosecond light is >90% and reflectance is <0.5% per surface
Stokes Raman spectroscopy is used for pulses, for applications such as Hadamard at normal incidence. Operating temperature
the study of cells. It requires three laser spectroscopy, optical data storage and range is from 10 °C to 45 °C. The optical
beams — a pump beam, a probe beam wavefront compensation. It comes in a head measures 179 mm × 75 mm × 19 mm
and a Stokes beam — all of which must phase version that provides at least one-wave and control is by Windows operating
be aligned so that they interact correctly. optical path difference, and an amplitude systems through a USB port.
“By using pulse shaping you can create the version that provides at least half-wave. Both www.meadowlark.com
manual; and a CD containing application- case temperatures from 25° to 45° are
specific software. The pixel array measures recommended.
19.66 mm × 19.66 mm, and the device can www.ti.com
handle wavelengths from 635 to 1,550 nm.
Zero-order diffraction efficiency is rated as
80–95%. The system has an external window
Holoeye
surface-coated mirror allows the beam to from a PC’s graphics card addresses the
pass through the system twice, doubling signal. The company says that the plug-
the optical modulation and allowing faster and-play system guarantees quick start-up
response when changing drive patterns. The and easy use. Windows-based software
SLMs come with either 128 or 640 pixels per allows users to configure the modulator for
mask, with a height of 5,000 μm, a pitch of different applications and wavelengths by
100 ± 0.005 μm, and a gap between pixels means of an RS-232 interface. The device
of 2 μm. They are optimized for either the provides 256 eight-bit grey levels and has
488–900-nm range or the 900–1,620-nm The PLUTO phase-only spatial light an active area of 15.36 mm × 8.64 mm with
range. For the shorter wavelengths, they modulator kit from HOLOEYE a fill-factor of 87%. Maximum image frame
provide >88% transmission with one Photonics AG (Berlin, Germany) is based rate is 60 Hz and maximum illumination
mask and >85% with two. In the longer on a reflective liquid-crystal-on-silicon is <2 W cm–2. Zero-order intensity is
wavelengths, they provide >92% transmission microdisplay with an HDTV resolution of 60%. Operating temperature range is
with one mask and >90% with two. The pulse 1,920 × 1,080 pixels. The device’s electrically 10–70 °C. An absorption filter controls
damage threshold of the device is 100 μJ cm–2 controlled birefringence display mode ultraviolet irradiation.
at 490 nm for 50-fs pulses at a repetition rate causes the phase panels to provide a pure www.holoeye.com
of 1 kHz. For similar pulses at 890 nm, the phase shift of up to 2π for wavelengths up
damage threshold is 200 μJ cm–2. Maximum to 1,550 nm. The SLM is aimed at phase- NeiL SAVAge is a freelance science and
modulation is 3π radians on a single pass shifting applications including wavefront technology journalist based in Lowell,
at the longest wavelength in the operating correction, optical tweezers, optical Massachusetts, USA.
range, and greater at shorter wavelengths. metrology, interferometry, lithography
Modulation is doubled when the SLM is and holography. The platform controls The mention of a company’s name or product is
used in reflection. The device is controlled the active matrix, reflective mode, phase- not an endorsement by Nature Photonics and
by means of a USB interface or a 5 V/3.3 V only liquid crystal displays, which are Nature Photonics takes no responsibility for
logic trigger. optimized for three wavelength ranges: the accuracy of the product information or the
www.cri-inc.com 420–850 nm, 850–1,100 nm, and common claims made by companies.