Abstract

The sensitivity and resolution of electrooptic spatial light modulators (ESLM’s) such as the Pockels Readout Optical Modulator (PROM) and Microchannel Spatial Light Modulator (MSLM) are shown to be functions of the potential distribution arising from charges located within the active electrooptic-crystal layer. The Fourier transform of the potential distribution (which can be directly related to the modulation transfer function) is derived as a function of the charge location within the electrooptic crystal. The resultant analytic expression in addition exhibits the dependence of sensitivity and resolution on the dielectric constants of the blocking layers and electrooptic crystal and on the thicknesses of the three layers. It is shown that the overall sensitivity and resolution are affected strongly by charge storage in the bulk away from the electrooptic-crystal/dielectric-blocking-layer interfaces. In particular, the effects of various operating modes can be qualitatively explained by utilizing superposition to calculate the potential distribution for a positive–negative charge pair located at various positions in the electrooptic crystal. The implications of these results for device design and operation are discussed.

© 1984 Optical Society of America

Theoretical resolution limitations of electrooptic spatial light modulators. II. Effects of crystallographic orientation

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