Laser-based SXGA reflective light valve projector with E-cinema quality contrast and color space

Keith W. Kennedy; Robert J. Martinsen; Andrew J. Radl; John F. Arntsen; Masayuki Karakawa

doi:10.1117/12.383369

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25 April 2000 Laser-based SXGA reflective light valve projector with E-cinema quality contrast and color space

Keith W. Kennedy; Robert J. Martinsen; Andrew J. Radl; John F. Arntsen; Masayuki Karakawa

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Proceedings Volume 3954, Projection Displays 2000: Sixth in a Series; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.383369
Event: Electronic Imaging, 2000, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

Laser light sources present many advantages for projection displays over the currently employed incoherent light sources. Perhaps the most significant attribute is the laser's high degree of polarization, which greatly improves the efficiency of liquid crystal light valve (LCLV) projectors. The maximum achievable efficiency of an LCLV projector is severely limited with the use of an unpolarized light source such as an arc lamp. The polarized emission from a laser can be coupled to the screen much more efficiently, offering the possibility of smaller projectors with higher luminous efficacies. Additionally, the RGB primaries of laser light fall along the spectrum locus of the chromaticity diagram allowing for a much expanded color gamut over dichroically-separated lamp spectra. This provides the possibility of offering unprecedented color reproduction for the emerging digital cinema industry. The combined properties of polarization, monochromaticity, and low divergence result in a significant increase in image contrast when coupled to LCLV image engines. Substituting lasers for lamp light sources have shown to increase sequential contrast by as much as five-fold. This simple substitution has also resulted in broad improvements to the projector's entire MTF, thereby increasing the apparent resolution of the image. These are all striking arguments as to the potential of lasers in the emerging e-cinema market and the impetuous behind our current development effort presented here.

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Keith W. Kennedy, Robert J. Martinsen, Andrew J. Radl, John F. Arntsen, and Masayuki Karakawa "Laser-based SXGA reflective light valve projector with E-cinema quality contrast and color space", Proc. SPIE 3954, Projection Displays 2000: Sixth in a Series, (25 April 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.383369

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