Reducing orders of diffraction patterns

A phase modulating device, comprising:

• a liquid crystal layer having first and second opposing sides;
• a common electrode adjacent the first side of the liquid crystal layer;
• a plurality of pixel electrodes adjacent the second side of the liquid crystal layer, where for each of the plurality of pixel electrodes, application of a voltage to that pixel electrode produces a voltage drop between that pixel electrode and the common electrode across a respective localized area of the liquid crystal layer;
• where the pixel electrodes have a pixel pitch by which the pixel electrodes are distributed along the second side of the liquid crystal layer;
• where 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 0.5 and 1.0;
• where insulating material is disposed within at least one of the inter-pixel gaps;
• the phase modulating device further comprising a blurring material disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the pixel electrodes, the blurring material having a higher permittivity than the liquid crystal layer, and configured to smooth phase transitions of a liquid crystal state in the liquid crystal layer between the localized areas associated with the pixel electrodes;
• and
• the phase modulating device further comprising a plurality of reflective elements disposed between the blurring material and the second side of the liquid crystal layer.

A phase modulating device, comprising:

• a liquid crystal layer having first and second opposing sides;
• a common electrode adjacent the first side of the liquid crystal layer;
• a plurality of pixel electrodes adjacent the second side of the liquid crystal layer, where for each of the plurality of pixel electrodes, application of a voltage to that pixel electrode produces a voltage drop between that pixel electrode and the common electrode across a respective localized area of the liquid crystal layer;
• where the pixel electrodes have a pixel pitch by which the pixel electrodes are distributed along the second side of the liquid crystal layer;
• where 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 less than 1.0;
• where one or more of a dielectric mirror and a quarter waveplate is disposed within at least one of the inter-pixel gaps;
• and
• the phase modulating device further comprising a blurring material disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the pixel electrodes, the blurring material having a higher permittivity than the liquid crystal layer, and configured to smooth phase transitions of a liquid crystal state in the liquid crystal layer between the localized areas associated with the pixel electrodes.