Liquid crystal light valve with photosensitive layer having irregular diode pattern

The device of claim wherein said diodes comprise an array of diodes of varied shapes and spacing.

The device of claim wherein said diodes comprise an array of diodes of generally rectangular configuration and of mutually different sizes.

A method of making a liquid crystal light valve comprising the steps of:

• providing a dielectric substrate,
• forming on said substrate an array of diodes of mutually different sizes, and
• assembling said substrate with layers of electrode layers, a light blocking layer, a mirror layer and a liquid crystal layer.

A method of making a photosensitive layer of a liquid crystal light valve comprising the steps of:

• providing a doped silicon substate, and
• simultaneously depositing metallic and insulator material on said substrate to form a pattern of cermets wherein deposited metal is isolated into discrete islands separated by the insulator material.

A method of making a photosensitive layer of a liquid crystal light valve comprising the steps of:

• providing a wafer formed of single crystal silicon,
• forming a layer of silicon dioxide on said wafer, and
• photolithographically forming in said layer of silicon dioxide a pseudo-random pattern of diodes having varying sizes and an irregular pattern of locations.

A method of making a photosensitive layer of a liquid crystal light valve comprising the steps of:

• providing a wafer formed of a single crystal silicon,
• providing a mask having an irregular pattern of apertures of varying sizes and locations, and
• employing said mask to form on said wafer an irregular array of diodes of varying sizes and locations.

A photosensitive layer for a liquid crystal light valve comprising:

• a single crystal silicon wafer,
• a dielectric coating on said wafer, said coating having an irregular pattern of holes extending therethrough to said wafer,
• said holes containing a metal in contact with said wafer.

A photosensitive layer for a liquid crystal light valve comprising:

• a single crystal silicon wafer, and
• a plurality of cermets on said wafer formed in an irregular pattern, said cermets comprising small discrete bodies of metal having random size and shape, each said body being surrounded by an insulator material.