A spatial phase modulator and a method for producing a spatial phase modulator are provided. The spatial phase modulator includes a first substrate and a second substrate that are meshed together, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the two substrates, where a transparent electrode layer and a first alignment and guiding layer are disposed in a cascading manner on a side that is of the first substrate and that faces the liquid crystal layer; and an electrode layer and an insulation medium glass layer are disposed in a cascading manner on a side that is of the second substrate and that faces the liquid crystal layer, where the insulation medium glass layer has an inclined serration structure on a side facing the liquid crystal layer.

An imaging directional backlight apparatus includes a waveguide and light source array for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure in which steps may include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a forward direction. Returning light propagating in a backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. Alignment of the waveguide to mechanical and optical components may be provided by surface relief features of the waveguide arranged in regions adjacent the input surface and intermediate the light emitting regions of the light sources. Efficient, uniform operation may be achieved with low cross talk for application to autostereoscopic and privacy modes of operation.

A display comprises a polarised output spatial light modulator, switchable liquid crystal retarder, absorbing polariser and touch panel electrodes. The electrodes of the switchable liquid crystal retarder shield the touch panel electrodes from the electrical noise of the spatial light modulator addressing. The touch panel control and sensing may be synchronised with the driving signal of the switchable liquid crystal retarder. The touch panel may be operated independently of the timing of the data addressing of the spatial light modulator.

An SLM includes a modulation unit and a driving circuit. The modulation unit includes a plurality of pixels, and modulates a phase or an intensity of incident light in each pixel according to an amplitude of a drive signal changing periodically with time. The driving circuit provides the drive signal to the modulation unit. The driving circuit performs control such that a phase of the drive signal V.sub.1(t) provided to a first pixel group in the plurality of pixels and a phase of the drive signal V.sub.2(t) provided to a second pixel group in the plurality of pixels are mutually inverted.

An image projector includes a spatial light modulator (SLM) with a two dimensional array of pixel elements controllable to modulate a property of light transmitted or reflected by the pixel elements. An illumination arrangement delivers illumination to the SLM. A collimating arrangement collimates illumination from the SLM to generate a collimated image directed to an exit stop. The illumination arrangement is configured to sequentially illuminate regions of the SLM, each corresponding to a multiple pixel elements. A controller synchronously controls the pixel elements and the illumination arrangement so as to project a collimated image with pixel intensities corresponding to a digital image.

A holographic imaging device includes a laser device, a laser beam expanding and collimating system and a liquid crystal cell. The laser beam expanding and collimating system is configured to expand a light beam from the laser device and enable the expanded light beam to be transmitted substantially vertically to the liquid crystal cell. An amplitude-transmission coefficient distribution of the liquid crystal cell is determined in accordance with a brightness distribution of holographic interference fringes of an object to be displayed.

An integrated sensor and optical phase/amplitude modulator device including a modulator stacked on or above a detector. A circuit receives a signal outputted from the detector in response to an input field irradiating the detector. The circuit performs binary operations comprising classifying the input phase of the input electromagnetic radiation into one of two ranges and setting the modulator into one of two states depending on which range the input phase is classified into. The modulator transmits output electromagnetic radiation having an output field modulated according to the state of the modulator set by the circuit.

A head-mounted apparatus include an eyepiece that include a variable dimming assembly and a frame mounting the eyepiece so that a user side of the eyepiece faces a towards a user and a world side of the eyepiece opposite the first side faces away from the user. The dynamic dimming assembly selectively modulates an intensity of light transmitted parallel to an optical axis from the world side to the user side during operation. The dynamic dimming assembly includes a variable birefringence cell having multiple pixels each having an independently variable birefringence, a first linear polarizer arranged on the user side of the variable birefringence cell, the first linear polarizer being configured to transmit light propagating parallel to the optical axis linearly polarized along a pass axis of the first linear polarizer orthogonal to the optical axis, a quarter wave plate arranged between the variable birefringence cell and the first linear polarizer, a fast axis of the quarter wave plate being arranged relative to the pass axis of the first linear polarizer to transform linearly polarized light transmitted by the first linear polarizer into circularly polarized light, and a second linear polarizer on the world side of the variable birefringence cell.

A projector according to the present disclosure includes an illuminator that outputs light, a light modulator including a liquid crystal panel that modulates the light from the illuminator in accordance with image information, and a projection optical apparatus that projects image light modulated by the light modulator. The liquid crystal panel includes a display unit on which the light from the illuminator is incident, a light blocking film having a light transmissive area provided in correspondence with the display unit, and a lens that collects the light into a spot in the light transmissive area. The display unit has a first area and a second area in the light transmissive area, the second area providing light transmittance higher than light transmittance provided by the first area. The illuminator outputs the light in such a way, that the lens collects the light into a spot in the second area.

A method is provided for operating one or more one solid-state electro-optic device to provide an electrically switching shutter. The method includes forming an alternating stack of first semiconductor layers having a first dopant and second semiconductor layers having a second dopant to form at least one superlattice semiconductor device. The method further includes applying to the at least one superlattice semiconductor device a first voltage to induce a transparent state of the alternating stack such that light is transmitted through the alternating stack, and applying to the at least one superlattice semiconductor device a second voltage different from the first voltage to induce an opaque state of the alternating stack such that light is inhibited from passing through the alternating stack.