A device for modulating the phase of a light beam includes a matrix of elementary cells, called pixels, coupled to a circuit for addressing the pixels, the device further comprising a set of so-called lateral electrodes extending in a so-called vertical direction (Y) at right angles to the alignment direction (Xa) and configured to apply, for each pixel and via at least two lateral electrodes, a so-called acceleration voltage generating a lateral electrical field (Era) substantially parallel to the alignment direction, in a vector allowing an accelerated return of the liquid crystal molecules to their orientation of rest, the acceleration voltage being configured to be applied in a phase called acceleration relaxation phase, when the activation voltage is no longer applied.

A reflectance-adjustable reflector including a phase modulation element and a first polarizer is provided. The phase modulation element includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, a phase modulation layer located between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first electrode layer located between the first substrate and the phase modulation layer, and a second electrode layer located between the second substrate and the phase modulation layer. Thicknesses of the first substrate and the second substrate are between 0.01 mm and 0.5 mm. The first polarizer is disposed on the first substrate. The first substrate is located between the first polarizer and the first electrode layer. A total thickness of the phase modulation element and the first polarizer is less than 1 mm. A reflectance-adjustable display device is also provided.

Provided is an optical body capable of arbitrarily and quickly controlling the optical characteristics of incident light. A refractive index variable layer (8) formed of PLZT or other material and a magneto-optical material layer (9) formed of garnet or other material are provided side by side between a first reflective layer (3) and a second reflective layer (5). If linearly polarized light is made incident from the side of the first reflective layer (3), the incident light interacts with the magneto-optical material layer (9) and is converted into a right-circularly polarized light component and a left-circularly polarized light component. A very small retardation occurring between both the right- and left-circularly polarized light components is amplified through multiple reflections between the pair of reflective layers (3, 5) and is controlled according to a controlled refractive index of the refractive index variable layer (8).

A phase modulation device includes an image data generator, a controller, a light reception signal detector, and a liquid crystal element. The image data generator generates image data. The controller generates a gradation control signal based on the image data. The liquid crystal element includes a first substrate and a light receiver. The first substrate has a pixel region in which a plurality of pixel electrodes constituting pixels are arranged. The light receiver photoelectrically converts light with which the pixel region is irradiated to generate a light reception signal. The light reception signal detector generates a drive control signal based on the light reception signal. The liquid crystal element changes an inclination angle of a wavefront of the light with which the pixel region is irradiated by applying different driving voltages to the plurality of pixel electrodes based on the gradation control signal.

Systems and methods for improving operating characteristics of displays such as liquid crystal on silicon displays.

An A liquid-crystal adaptive optics actuator comprising a two-dimensional array of pixels (14), wherein each pixel (14) is connected to a control circuit by means of a control line signal path (16, 20) that comprises an electrical interconnection (16) and a meandering resistor (20), each resistor having a resistance value selected to equalize the RC time constant of each control line signal path associated to each pixel. Each control line is thus capable of carrying one or more control signals and the control line signal path is configured such that all the pixels respond to the control signals with a uniform response time.

A method for implementing folding M×N wavelength selective switch is provided. A one-dimensional single-mode fiber optic collimator array, a short-focus cylindrical mirror, a first long-focus cylindrical mirror, a retroreflector, a transmission phase diffraction grating, a second long-focus cylindrical mirror, a liquid crystal spatial light modulator, and a liquid crystal graphic loading control system are provided along beam transmission direction. The same set of optical elements is used for incident light and outgoing light by ingenious folding structure. The input port and output port of optical signal are consistent in spatial arrangement, thereby reducing space and improving port utilization. Based on composite liquid crystal chips, a working area of the liquid crystal spatial light modulator is doubled, and a quantity of accommodating ports is greatly increased. A quantity of M×N ports of the WSS can be increased greatly by the above structure and design.

In an embodiment, a phase shifter includes: a light input end; a light output end; a p-type semiconductor material, and an n-type semiconductor material contacting the p-type semiconductor material along a boundary area, wherein the boundary area is greater than a length from the light input end to the light output end multiplied by a core width of the phase shifter.

A silicon based terahertz full wave liquid crystal phase shifter is provided. The liquid crystal phase shifter has a first silicon conductive substrate, a second silicon conductive substrate, a plurality of pads, and a liquid crystal. The first and second silicon conductive substrates, instead of the quartz glass and transparent electrode, such as ITO, are used as substrates and to provide electrodes of the liquid crystal phase shifter. Thus, the effect of the liquid crystal phase modulation of the liquid crystal phase shifter in the THz range can be improved.

Provided in a method of fabricating an optical element array including providing a silicon substrate, providing a first element layer on the silicon substrate, the first element layer including a plurality of passive optical elements, providing a plurality of semiconductor blocks on a compound semiconductor wafer, providing semiconductor dies by dicing the compound semiconductor wafer by the plurality of semiconductor blocks, and providing a second element layer by providing the semiconductor dies on the first element layer, each of the plurality of semiconductor blocks contacting at least one corresponding passive optical element from among the plurality of passive optical elements.