Using Liquid Crystal Spatial Light Modulators for Closed Loop Tracking and Beam Steering with Phase Holography

by Michael J. Perry

Optical Phased Array (OPA) technology offers advantages in the reduction of size, weight, and power of optical steering devices. Nematic liquid crystal (LC) spatial light modulators (SLMs) have been studied as a potential candidate for building non-mechanical OPAs. They can steer a laser beam and split the beam into multiple beams. This thesis builds upon the prior research showing each split beam can be individually controlled, including variation in intensity. A closed loop tracking scenario shows the flexibility of the SLM by tracking and stabilizing an incoming beam. Results show that applying a phase grating to the SLM has limitations with diffraction and fringing when the SLM is divided into sub-apertures during beam splitting, forcing trade-offs in performance.

112 pages, Paperback

First published November 21, 2012

About the author

Michael J. Perry holds the University Distinguished Chair in Law at Wake Forest University. From 1982 to 1997, he taught at the Nothwestern University School of Law, where he held the Howard J. Trienens Chair in Law.