Open AccessOptically addressed modulator for tunable spatial polarization control
Author(s) -
Frederik Schaal,
Michael Rutloh,
Susanne Weidenfeld,
Joachim Stumpe,
Peter Michler,
Christof Pruß,
Wolfgang Osten
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.26.028119
Subject(s) - spatial light modulator , optics , materials science , polarization (electrochemistry) , electro optic modulator , optical modulator , optoelectronics , liquid crystal , microscope , phase modulation , physics , chemistry , phase noise
We present an optically addressed non-pixelated spatial light modulator. The system is based on reversible photoalignment of a LC cell using a red light sensitive novel azobenzene photoalignment layer. It is an electrode-free device that manipulates the liquid crystal orientation and consequently the polarization via light without artifacts caused by electrodes. The capability to miniaturize the spatial light modulator allows the integration into a microscope objective. This includes a miniaturized 200 channel optical addressing system based on a VCSEL array and hybrid refractive-diffractive beam shapers. As an application example, the utilization as a microscope objective integrated analog phase contrast modulator is shown.