A phase and phase/amplitude spatial light modulator arrangement for generating a complex-valued light field with a spatial light modulator, a phase element and an optical system. The phase and amplitude spatial light modulator arrangement is configured to generate a light field that is adjustable in amount and phase. A method realizes operation of a combined spatial light modulator for generating a complex-valued light field. Here, the method includes adapting an optical characteristic in several areas of a phase element. A further method realizes operation of an optical arrangement for modulating different light wavelengths by adjusting several wave influences in several areas of a phase modulator. A last method realizes operation of an optical arrangement by adjusting an amplitude spatial light modulator for modulating light intensities in at least two optical paths.

Examples are disclosed relating to reducing orders of diffraction patterns in phase modulating devices. An example phase modulating device includes a phase modulating layer having first and second opposing sides, a common electrode adjacent the first side of the phase modulating layer, a plurality of pixel electrodes adjacent the second side of the phase modulating layer, and blurring material disposed between the phase modulating layer and the pixel electrodes. In the example phase modulating device, the blurring material is configured to smooth phase transitions in the phase modulating layer between localized areas associated with the pixel electrodes, the pixel electrodes have a pixel pitch by which the pixel electrodes are distributed along the phase modulating layer, and the pixel electrodes are separated from one another by an inter-pixel gap, where the ratio of the inter-pixel gap to the pixel pitch is between 0.50 and 1.0.

A complex spatial light modulator and a three-dimensional (3D) image display apparatus including the complex spatial light modulator are provided. The complex spatial light modulator includes: a spatial light modulator that modulates a phase of light; a prism array including a plurality of prism units, each of the plurality of prism units including a first prism surface and second prism surface, where light from the spatial light modulator is incident on the prism array; and a polarization-independent diffracting element that diffracts light that has passed through the prism array.

Provided is a holographic display apparatus including a light source configured to emit light, a spatial light modulator configured to form a hologram pattern to modulate the light incident thereon and reproduce a hologram image, the spatial light modulator including a plurality of display pixels that are arranged two-dimensionally, and an optical element provided opposite a light incidence surface of the spatial light modulator or a light exit surface of the spatial light modulator, the optical element including an array of a plurality of light transmission patterns that are arranged irregularly.

A complex spatial light modulator for modulating a phase and amplitude of a light beam and a 3-dimensional (3D) display including the same are provided. The complex spatial light modulator includes a spatial light modulator modulating a phase of a light beam, a lenticular lens array disposed next to the spatial light modulator, and a volume holographic lens array spaced apart from the lenticular lens array and allowing light beams output from the lenticular lens array to be superimposed and to interfere with each other, and so that the phase and an amplitude of the light beam are simultaneously modulated.

A liquid crystal spatial light modulator and a three-dimensional display device are provided. The liquid crystal spatial light modulator includes a base substrate and a plurality of pixel units arranged in an array. Each pixel unit includes one pixel electrode, and the pixel electrode is located on the base substrate. Each pixel unit includes a light shielding structure, and the light shielding structure is configured to divide the each pixel unit into a plurality of pixel regions.

There is provided a holographic projector comprising a reflective liquid crystal display device. The reflective liquid crystal display device comprises a light-modulating layer between a first substrate and a second substrate substantially parallel to the first substrate. The light-modulating layer comprises planar-aligned nematic liquid crystals having positive dielectric anisotropy. The first substrate is substantially transparent and comprises a first alignment layer arranged to impart a first pre-tilt angle θ.sub..Math. on liquid crystals proximate the first substrate, wherein θ.sub.1>5°. The second substrate is substantially reflective and comprises a second alignment layer arranged to impart a second pre-tilt angle Θ.sub.2 on liquid crystals proximate the second substrate, wherein θ.sub.2>5°. The reflective liquid crystal display device further comprises a plurality of pixels defined on the light-modulating layer having a pixel repeat distance x, wherein x≤10 μm. The distance d between inside faces of the first substrate and second substrate satisfies 0.5 μm≤d≤3 μm, and the birefringence of the liquid crystal Δη≥0.20. The holographic projector further comprises a display driver arranged to drive the reflective liquid crystal display device to display a hologram by independently-driving each pixel at a respective modulation level selected from a plurality of modulation levels having a phase modulation value.

A three-dimensional light modulator, of which the pixels are combined to form modulation elements. Each modulation element can be coded with a preset discrete value such that three-dimensionally arranged object points can be holographically reconstructed. The light modulator is characterized in that assigned to the pixels of the modulator are beam splitters or beam combiners which, for each modulation element, combine the light wave parts modulated by the pixels by means of refraction or diffraction on the output side to form a common light beam which exits the modulation element in a set propagation direction.

A beam deflection apparatus includes a first beam deflector that deflects light in a first direction and a second beam deflector that deflects light in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first beam deflector and the second beam deflector each include a first region for deflecting light of a first wavelength and a second region for deflecting light of a second wavelength, and a ratio of a spatial period of a signal applied to first drive electrodes arranged in the first region of the first beam deflector to the first wavelength is the same as a ratio of a spatial period of a signal applied to second drive electrodes arranged in the second region of the first beam deflector to the second wavelength.

An electro-holographic light field generator device is disclosed. The light field generator device has an optical substrate with a waveguide face and an exit face. One or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulator devices are included within each light field generator device. The SAW devices each include a light input, a waveguide, and a SAW transducer, all configured for guided mode confinement of input light within the waveguide. A leaky mode deflection of a portion of the waveguided light, or diffractive light, impinges upon the exit face. Multiple output optics at the exit face are configured for developing from each of the output optics a radiated exit light from the diffracted light for at least one of the waveguides. An RF controller is configured to control the SAW devices to develop the radiated exit light as a three-dimensional output light field with horizontal parallax and compatible with observer vertical motion.