An image forming system includes a spatial light modulator (SLM) including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel is configured to diffract incident light and cause the diffracted light to exit the SLM, where a first diffraction order of light exiting the SLM passes through a first exit pupil and higher diffraction orders of light exiting the SLM pass through additional exit pupils having different positions from the first exit pupil. Control logic operatively coupled to the plurality of pixels is configured to control each pixel to control its modulation of the light incident on the pixel and cause the plurality of pixels to collectively form an image at each exit pupil. A light source is configured to emit incident light toward the SLM. A resampling layer is configured to subsample each pixel electrode with two or more samples per pixel to increase a spacing between each exit pupil.

A light control system is provided with a spatial light modulator of a liquid-crystal type, an input unit, and a controller. The input unit is configured to input a light to the spatial light modulator. The controller is configured to cause the spatial light modulator to function as a diffraction grating by electrically controlling the spatial light modulator. The controller is configured to change a path of a diffracted light from the spatial light modulator corresponding to the light input from the input unit by changing a shape of the diffraction grating.

An image forming system includes a spatial light modulator (SLM) including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel is configured to diffract incident light and cause the diffracted light to exit the SLM, where a first diffraction order of light exiting the SLM passes through a first exit pupil and higher diffraction orders of light exiting the SLM pass through additional exit pupils having different positions from the first exit pupil. Control logic operatively coupled to the plurality of pixels is configured to control each pixel to control its modulation of the light incident on the pixel and cause the plurality of pixels to collectively form an image at each exit pupil. A light source is configured to emit incident light toward the SLM. A resampling layer is configured to subsample each pixel electrode with two or more samples per pixel to increase a spacing between each exit pupil.

A shaping apparatus is equipped with: a beam shaping system having a beam irradiation section that includes a condensing optical system which emits a beam and a material processing section which supplies a shaping material irradiated by the beam from the beam irradiation section; and a controller which, on the basis of 3D data of a three-dimensional shaped object to be formed on a target surface, controls a workpiece movement system and the beam shaping system such that a target portion on the target surface is shaped by supplying the shaping material from the material processing section while moving the beam from the beam irradiation section and the target surface on a workpiece (or a table) relative to each other. Further the intensity distribution of the beam in the shaping plane facing the emitting surface of the condensing optical system can be modified.

An imaging directional backlight apparatus includes a waveguide and a light source array, providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, and the steps may further 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 define the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The imaging directional backlight apparatus further includes a control system for controlling the light output directional distribution in an automotive or vehicle environment in dependence on the output from sensors mounted on the vehicle. The control system is arranged to control the light output direction distribution of portable directional displays co-located with the vehicle.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a phase modulator, a lighting system, and a projector that allow for improving diffraction efficiency in a light phase modulation element. The phase modulator according to the present disclosure includes a light phase modulation element that has a plurality of pixels arranged with the pixel pitches p being different from each other to have a pixel structure suppressing occurrence of high-order diffraction light and that modulates a phase of light with respect to each of the pixels. Moreover, the phase modulator according to the present disclosure includes a capturing optical system that captures a plurality of fluxes of high-order diffraction light generated in each of the pixels.

This semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor laser chip and a spatial light modulator SLM which is optically connected to the semiconductor laser chip. The semiconductor laser chip LDC includes an active layer 4, a pair of cladding layers 2 and 7 sandwiching the active layer 4, and a diffraction grating layer 6 which is optically connected to the active layer 4. The spatial light modulator SLM includes a common electrode 25, a plurality of pixel electrodes 21, and a liquid crystal layer LC arranged between the common electrode 25 and the pixel electrodes 21. A laser beam output in a thickness direction of the diffraction grating layer 6 is modulated and reflected by the spatial light modulator SLM and is output to the outside.

A spatial light modulator and a liquid-crystal module are provided. The spatial light modulator includes a first liquid-crystal module and a second liquid-crystal module that are arranged opposite to each other. The first liquid-crystal module includes a first array substrate, a first color filter substrate, and a plurality of first spacers disposed therebetween. The second liquid-crystal module includes a second array substrate, a second color filter substrate, and a plurality of second spacers disposed therebetween. The first array substrate, the first color filter substrate, the second color filter substrate, and the second array substrate are stacked sequentially. At least one first spacer forms a first overlapped unit, and at least one second spacer forms a second overlapped unit. An orthographic projection of the first overlapped unit on the first array substrate fully overlaps an orthographic projection of the second overlapped unit on the first array substrate.

A system includes a spatial light modulator comprising a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. The spatial light modulator is characterized by a first retardation and a first phase retardation and has a first slow axis for light propagation. A voltage source is configured to apply a drive voltage to the spatial light modulator and the first retardation of the spatial light modulator is a function of the drive voltage. A retarder is positioned external to the spatial light modulator and is characterized by a second retardation and a second phase retardation. The retarder includes a second slow axis for light propagation. The second retardation has a value such that all illumination wavelengths in a set of illumination wavelengths are above or below a phase retardation value of 0.25. The set of illumination wavelengths includes at least one illumination wavelength in each of at least three different color spectrums.

A cover (8) of an optical device (10) is divided into: a first cover (5) which is fixed to a side wall section (4) so that an optical window (52) covers a light receiving section (1a) that serves as an effective region of an LCOS element (1); and a second cover (6) which is fixed to the side wall section (4) and the first cover (5) so as to cover an electrode terminal (3) and a wire (7) that connects the electrode terminal (3) and the semiconductor element (1b) to each other.