Abstract

Significant improvements in the spatial resolution, framing speed, optical quality, and space-domain image-processing capabilities of the microchannel spatial light modulator have been realized by employing oblique-cut rather than z-cut LiNbO₃ crystals, high-strip-current (250-μA) microchannel plates, and an acceleration grid in the gap of the device. In particular, a prototype device employing a 330-μm-thick, optimum-cut (rotated 55° from the z axis) LiNbO₃ crystal exhibited a framing rate in excess of 30 Hz with full modulation depth and a spatial resolution of ~1.9 cycles/mm at 50% contrast (~10 cycles/mm at 10% contrast). Additionally, four-level to two-level intensity image conversion, contrast reversal, contrast enhancement, edge enhancement, and the binary-level operations AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR, and NXOR have been demonstrated by operating the device in its space-domain image-processing mode.

© 1982 Optical Society of America

Microchannel spatial light modulator

C. Warde, A. D. Fisher, D. M. Cocco, and M. Y. Burmawi
Opt. Lett. 3(5) 196-198 (1978)

Optical information processing characteristics of the microchannel spatial light modulator

C. Warde, A. M. Weiss, A. D. Fisher, and J. I. Thackara
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Transfer characteristics of the microchannel spatial light modulator

Tsutomu Hara, Yoshiharu Ooi, Yoshiji Suzuki, and Ming H. Wu
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Bistable configurations of the microchannel spatial light modulator

Suzanne Lau and Cardinal Warde
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Implementation of Boolean logic gates using a microchannel spatial light modulator with liquid-crystal televisions

F. T. S. Yu, Q. W. Song, and X. J. Lu
Opt. Lett. 12(11) 962-964 (1987)