Spatial phase modulation element, spatial phase modulator, and optical modulator
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorMasahide OKAZAKI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a spatial phase modulation element (50) capable of changing a phase of light that passes through an optical member (110) by generating a potential difference between a second electrode (130) and a first electrode (120) to change a refractive index of the optical member (110), a plurality of the second electrodes (130) is arranged in an array direction perpendicular to an extending direction of a second side surface (114), and potential differences between the second electrodes (130) and the first electrode (120) can be independently generated.
Claims11
A spatial phase modulation element comprising:
- an optical member formed using a ferroelectric material having translucency;
- a first electrode provided on a first side surface extending in a predetermined direction that connects an incident plane and an exit plane of light in the optical member;
- and
- a second electrode provided on a second side surface on an opposite side of the first side surface in the optical member,
- the spatial phase modulation element being capable of changing a phase of light that passes through the optical member by generating a potential difference between the second electrode and the first electrode to change a refractive index of the optical member, wherein
- a plurality of the second electrodes is arranged in an array direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, and
- the spatial phase modulation element is capable of independently generating a potential difference between each second electrode of the plurality of second electrodes and the first electrode.
An optical modulator that modulates incident light based on a signal from a drive circuit and emits the modulated light, the optical modulator comprising:
- a substrate of a ferroelectric optical crystal on which the incident light that travels along a first axis is incident;
- and
- electrodes arranged on two facing surfaces of the substrate along a second axis intersecting with the first axis, wherein
- the substrate of the ferroelectric optical crystal has a periodically poled structure in which polarization alternately changes along the second axis,
- electrodes arranged on one surface between the two surfaces include:
- a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged along the second axis;
- and
- a plurality of control electrodes arranged between the pixel electrodes,
- the pixel electrodes change a refractive index by electric fields generated in a ferroelectric optical crystal by applying voltages between the pixel electrodes and an electrode on a surface facing the pixel electrodes and modulate light by interaction with light that has passed through an inside of the ferroelectric optical crystal, and
- the control electrodes are controlled independently from control of the voltages of the pixel electrodes by the drive circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.