# US 2023/0068044 A1 · System and Method for Wavelength-Selective Attenuation and Modulation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0068044 A1 - Document ID: US20230068044A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/893,057 - Filed: 2022-08-22 - Published: 2023-03-02 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-26 - Assignees: Silicon Light Machines Corporation - Applicants: Silicon Light Machines Corporation - Inventors: Alexander Payne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230068044A1 ## CPC - G02B 27/1086: {operating by diffraction only} - G02F 1/19: based on variable-reflection or variable-refraction elements not provided for in groups G02F1/015 - G02F1/169 - G02B 27/1006: {for splitting or combining different wavelengths (G02B27/1086, G02B27/141 take precedence)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract A system and method are provided for spectral shaping of light from a broadband source including multiple wavelengths. The system includes a beam splitter (BS) to receive and transmit an input beam, a dispersive element to disperse the input beam into dispersed beams separated by wavelength, and optic-elements to direct the dispersed beams onto a spatial light modulator (SLM). The SLM selectively modulates the dispersed beams reflected from the SLM, and the optic elements transmit a 0th-order of the reflected light through the dispersive element, which recombines the beams to form a reflected beam directed toward the BS. The BS separates the reflected beam from the input beam and directs it to an optical output of the system. The SLM includes multiple electrostatically deflectable reflective ribbons suspended over a reflective surface of a substrate, wherein the ribbons are separated by a distance equal to a width of the ribbons. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spectral shaping system comprising: a broadband light source to generate a light including a plurality of wavelengths; a beam splitter (BS) to receive and pass at least a portion of the light as an input beam; a dispersive element to receive and disperse the input beam into a number of dispersed beams separated by wavelength; and optic elements including a number of lenses or mirrors to direct the number of dispersed beams onto a spatial light modulator (SLM) operable to selectively modulate the number of dispersed beams incident thereon by diffracting light of reflected dispersed beams reflected from the SLM, wherein the optic elements are further operable to transmit a 0th-order light of the reflected dispersed beams through the dispersive element, the dispersive element is further operable to recombine the reflected dispersed beams to form a reflected beam directed toward the BS, and the BS is operable to separate the reflected beam from the input beam and direct the reflected beam to an optical output of the spectral shaping system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spectral shaping system of claim 1 wherein SLM comprises a plurality of active ribbons suspended over a reflective surface of a substrate, each of the plurality of active ribbons having a reflective top surface separated from at least one adjacent active ribbon by a distance equal to a width of each of the plurality of active ribbons, and the reflective top surface each of the plurality of active ribbons and an area of the reflective surface of the substrate exposed between adjacent active ribbons are sized and shaped to define substantially equal areas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The spectral shaping system of claim 2 wherein SLM is divided into a linear array of pixels, each pixel including a number of the plurality of active ribbons and adjacent areas of the reflective surface of the substrate, wherein each of the number of dispersed beams is modulated by one or more of the pixels. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spectral shaping system of claim 1 wherein a 0th-order contrast of the system is greater than at least 100:1. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spectral shaping system of claim 1 wherein the broadband light source is operable to generate light having wavelengths between 200 nm - 2 µm, or a subset thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The spectral shaping system of claim 1 wherein the SLM is operable to transmit greater than at least 65% of the 0th-order light of the reflected dispersed beams. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The spectral shaping system of claim 1 wherein the dispersive element comprises a prism. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spectral shaping system of claim 1 wherein the dispersive element comprises a static grating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The spectral shaping system of claim 1 wherein the SLM is enclosed in a wafer level package including a window through which the number of dispersed beams and reflected dispersed beams are passed, and wherein the window is tilted relative to a plane of the SLM, allowing separation of the reflected dispersed beams from the SLM and a reflection of the number of dispersed beams from the window. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The spectral shaping system of claim 9 wherein the window includes an anti-reflective coating. ### Claim 11 A method of spectrally shaping light comprising: generating light including a plurality of wavelengths; receiving the light in a beam splitter (BS) and passing at least a portion of the light as an input beam; dispersing the input beam into a number of dispersed beams separated by wavelength using a dispersive element; directing the number of dispersed beams onto a plurality of pixels of a spatial light modulator (SLM); individually controlling each pixel of the SLM to selectively modulate the number of dispersed beams incident thereon by diffracting light of reflected dispersed beams reflected from the SLM; transmitting a 0th-order light of the reflected dispersed beams through the dispersive element to recombine the reflected dispersed beams to form a reflected beam directed toward the BS; separating with the BS the reflected beam from the input beam; and directing the reflected beam to an optical output of the spectral shaping system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises a number of reflective active ribbons suspended over a reflective surface of a substrate and separated from one another by a distance equal to a width of each of the number of reflective active ribbons, and the number of reflective active ribbons are operable to be electrostatically deflected to bring light of the dispersed beam directed onto the pixel and reflected from the number of reflective active ribbons and light reflected from adjacent areas of the reflective surface of the substrate in the pixel into interference, and individually controlling each pixel of the SLM comprises a voltage between ribbon electrodes in each of the number of reflective active ribbons and a substrate electrode in the substrate to deflect the active ribbons. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein each of the number of dispersed beams is modulated by one or more of the pixels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein individually controlling each pixel of the SLM to selectively modulate the number of dispersed beams comprises setting each pixel to a fully reflective or fully extinguished quiescent state based on a wavelength of a dispersed beam incident thereon by applying a wavelength dependent calibration voltage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein generating light comprises generating light including a plurality of wavelengths between 200 nm - 2 µm, or a subset thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein a 0th-order contrast of the system is greater than at least 100:1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein transmitting the 0th-order light of the reflected dispersed beams comprises transmitting 65% or greater of the 0th-order light of the reflected dispersed beams. ### Claim 18 A spectral shaping system comprising: a broadband light source to generate a light including an input beam having a plurality of wavelengths; a dispersive element to receive and disperse the input beam into a number of dispersed beams separated by wavelength; and a collimating element to receive and direct the number of dispersed beams onto a spatial light modulator (SLM) at an acute angle of incidence relative to a non-diffracting direction of the SLM, wherein the SLM is operable to selectively modulate the number of dispersed beams incident thereon by diffracting light of reflected dispersed beams reflected from the SLM, and wherein the collimating element is further operable to transmit through the dispersive element a 0th-order light of the dispersed beams reflected from the SLM at an acute angle of incidence relative to the non-diffracting direction of the SLM, and the dispersive element is further operable to recombine the reflected dispersed beams to form a reflected beam directed toward an optical output of the spectral shaping system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The spectral shaping system of claim 18 wherein SLM comprises a plurality of active ribbons suspended over a reflective surface of a substrate, each of the plurality of active ribbons having a reflective top surface separated from at least one adjacent active ribbon by a distance equal to a width of each of the plurality of active ribbons, and the reflective top surface each of the plurality of active ribbons and an area of the reflective surface of the substrate exposed between adjacent active ribbons are sized and shaped to define substantially equal areas. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The spectral shaping system of claim 19 wherein SLM is divided into a linear array of pixels, each pixel including a number of the plurality of active ribbons and adjacent areas of the reflective surface of the substrate, wherein each of the number of dispersed beams is modulated by one or more of the pixels.