Tilt-effect of holograms and images displayed on a spatial light modulator

Model-based compensation of pixel crosstalk in liquid crystal spatial light modulators

Spatial light modulators (SLMs) based on liquid crystals are widely used for wavefront shaping. Their large number of pixels allows one to create complex wavefronts. The crosstalk between neighboring pixels, also known as fringing field effect, however, can lead to strong deviations. The realized wavefront may deviate significantly from the prediction based on the idealized assumption that the response across a pixel is uniform and independent of its neighbors. Detailed numerical simulations of the SLM response based on a full 3D physical model accurately match the measured response and properly model the pixel crosstalk. The full model is then used to validate a simplified model that enables much faster crosstalk evaluation and pattern optimization beyond standard performance. General conclusions on how to minimize crosstalk in liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) SLM systems are derived, as well as a readily accessible estimation of the amount of fringing in a given SLM.

Aberration-corrected holographic projection on a two-dimensionally highly tilted spatial light modulator

Image projection by holographic allows efficient and compact optical setups; nevertheless, the limited throw angle and 1:1 image aspect ratio are impractical. We present the method to increase the diffractive angle of a spatial light modulator in one and two directions by introducing the highly 2-dimensionally tilted illuminating beam. The inevitable image aberrations, such as astigmatism, for off-axis imaging are corrected by proper modifications of the phase patterns on the modulator. Experimental results show the image aspect ratio of 2.4:1 suitable for human vision, with sustained image contrast and noise level. Study of the experimental diffractive efficiency is also presented.

Improved method to fully compensate the spatial phase nonuniformity of LCoS devices with a Fizeau interferometer

Liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) devices usually show spatial phase nonuniformity (SPNU) in applications of phase modulation, which comprises the phase retardance nonuniformity (PRNU) as a function of the applied voltage and inherent wavefront distortion (WFD) introduced by the device itself. We propose a multipoint calibration method utilizing a Fizeau interferometer to compensate SPNU of the device. Calibration of PRNU is realized by defining a grid of 3×6 cells onto the aperture and then calculating phase retardance of each cell versus a gradient gray pattern. With designing an adjusted gray pattern calculated by the calibrated multipoint phase retardance function, compensation of inherent WFD is achieved. The peak-to-valley (PV) value of the residual WFD compensated by the multipoint calibration method is significantly reduced from 2.5λ to 0.140λ, while the PV value of the residual WFD after global calibration is reduced to 0.364λ. Experimental results of the generated finite-energy 2D Airy beams in Fourier space demonstrate the effectiveness of this multipoint calibration method.