Abstract

A new spatial light modulator that uses electroabsorption induced by the Franz–Keldysh effect in a GaAs single crystal is proposed. The device has the same structure as the Pockels readout optical modulator, is driven by a high ac voltage, and is operated in the superprime mode. Its high-frame-rate (over 500-Hz) operation, high contrast ratio (350:1), and large γ characteristics (2.47) were experimentally confirmed in the transmission mode, although its operating-wavelength (readout) region is restricted to a narrow band near the band gap. In the reflection mode, however, this device has a high contrast ratio and large γ characteristic (approximately 5), offering the possibility of its use as a nonlinear device.

© 1998 Optical Society of America

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