Fast polymer spatial light modulators for dynamic holographic WDM network components

Adam D. Cohen; Robert J. Mears

doi:10.1117/12.305426

17 April 1998 Fast polymer spatial light modulators for dynamic holographic WDM network components

Adam D. Cohen, Robert J. Mears

Proceedings Volume 3281, Polymer Photonic Devices; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.305426
Event: Optoelectronics and High-Power Lasers and Applications, 1998, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

The provision of a range of WDM network component functionality by ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) spatial light modulators (SLM) has already been demonstrated, but reconfigurration speed is limited to the order of 100 kHz by liquid crystal response time. A future generation of fast spatial light modulators might be based on a (chi) ⁽²) material, yielding a device response time limited only by electronic RC product. This paper presents device modeling and characterisation of single-pixel SLMs based on an approximately 2 micrometer film of commercially available nonlinear optical polymer (NLOP) in an asymmetric Fabry-Perot (AFP) cavity. Polymer films were poled at a low field of approximately 35 V/micrometer and a 10-V modulating signal applied. Intensity modulation of 0.3% was provided by a gold/gold etalon device at 633 nm, while 1.4% modulation was provided by a hybrid device having an ITO-coated dielectric rear mirror and gold front mirror. Transmitted intensity modulation of the former device around 1.55 micrometer was approximately 0.1% and had a 3-dB bandwidth of 10.8 nm. Modelled behaviour has been extrapolated to yield two significant performance indicators: (1) the diffraction efficiency (eta) of a multiple-pixel 1-D AFP NLOP-SLM is largely phase modulation-dependent, having a maximum value of approximately 13.5% cf. approximately 40% for a binary phase FLC-SLM; (2) the 3-dB bandwidth of (eta) ca. 1.55 micrometer is approximately 5 nm in this configuration, but an approximately 190 nm-thin cavity hybrid device could have an (eta) _3dB approximately 30 nm.

Citation Download Citation

Adam D. Cohen and Robert J. Mears "Fast polymer spatial light modulators for dynamic holographic WDM network components", Proc. SPIE 3281, Polymer Photonic Devices, (17 April 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.305426

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