High speed spatial light modulator

A reflective optical phased array structure, comprising:

• an indium tin oxide (ITO) glass electrode;
• a bi-layer photonic crystal slab is attached to the ITO glass electrode;
• a read-out integrated circuit that is configured to control the optical phase array;
• an indium bump positioned between the bi-layer photonic crystal slab and the read-out integrated circuit;
• and
• wherein the reflective optical phased array structure is configured to control a direction of a reflected light beam by modulating a voltage applied to the bi-layer photonic crystal slab.

An optical switching device, comprising:

• a first photonic crystal slab (PCS) layer;
• a second PCS layer that includes a silicon layer;
• a graphene layer that is positioned in a cavity between the first PCS layer and the second PCS layer a reflector that is deposited on the silicon layer of the second PCS layer;
• a readout integrated circuit that is attached to the reflector;
• and
• wherein the optical switching device configured to modulate a surface of the optical switching device to switch between reflection and absorption of an interrogating beam according to an electrical modulated signal.