0000000000609230
AUTHOR
Jorge Albero
Liquid crystal spatial light modulator with very large phase modulation operating in high harmonic orders.
Unusually large phase modulation in a commercial liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LCSLM) is reported. Such a situation is obtained by illuminating with visible light a device designed to operate in the infrared range. The phase modulation range reaches 6π radians in the red region of the visible spectrum and 10π radians in the blue region. Excellent diffraction efficiency in high harmonic orders is demonstrated despite a concomitant and non-negligible Fabry–Perot interference effect. This type of SLM opens the possibility to implement diffractive elements with reduced chromatic dispersion or chromatic control.
Second order diffractive optical elements in a spatial light modulator with large phase dynamic range
International audience; A study of the diffraction efficiency of a spatial light modulator with a large dynamic phase range is reported. We use a phase-only device that reaches 4π phase modulation depth for the wavelength of 454 nm. This allows operating phase-only diffractive optical elements in the second harmonic diffraction order, instead of in the usual first diffraction order. This type of implementation shows advantages in terms of resolution and diffraction efficiency. Experimental results are reported for blazed diffractive gratings and diffractive lenses.