Method and apparatus for modulating a light beam

A modulator for modulating a beam of incident light, comprising;

• means forming a first planar light reflective surface;
• a grating having means forming a plurality of second planar light reflective surfaces, the grating being arranged with its second reflective surfaces lying in a plane parallel to and spaced from the first planar reflective surface in a direction normal thereto;
• and
• means for moving the grating in a direction normal to said first planar reflective surface and into a position closer thereto while maintaining the second reflective surfaces of the grating substantially parallel to the first planar reflective surface;
• whereby, when the spacing between the respective first and second light reflective surfaces is equal to m/4 times a particular wavelength of the incident light and m=an even whole number or zero, the modulator acts to reflect the incident light as a plane mirror, and when m=an odd whole number the modulator diffracts the incident light as it reflects it, thereby providing modulation of the beam.

A modulator for modulating an incident beam of light, comprising:

• a plurality of equally spaced apart elements, each including a light reflective planar surface, the elements being arranged parallel to each other and with the light reflective surfaces of the elements lying in a first plane;
• means for supporting the elements in relation to one another;
• and
• means for moving alternate ones of the elements relative to the other elements and between a first configuration wherein all elements lie in the first plane and the modulator acts to reflect the incident beam of light as a plane mirror, and a second configuration wherein alternate elements lie in a second plane parallel to the first plane and the modulator diffracts the incident beam of light as it is reflected from the planar surfaces of the elements.

In a light modulating device including an array of individual light modulators for modulating an incident beam of light to generate an image, each pixel of which has a chromatic and/or luminous characteristic corresponding to a physical characteristic of a corresponding modulator in the array, an improved modulator comprising:

• a plurality of elongated elements, each including a light reflective planar surface, the elements being arranged parallel to each other and with the light reflective surfaces of the elements lying in one or more parallel planes;
• means for supporting the elements in relation to one another;
• and
• means for moving a first set of the elements in a direction normal to said planes and relative to a second set of the elements and between a first modulator configuration wherein said first and second sets act to reflect the incident beam of light as a plane mirror, and a second modulator configuration wherein said first and second sets diffract the incident beam of light as it is reflected from the surfaces of the elements.

In a light modulating device including an array of individual light modulators for modulating an incident beam of light to generate an image, each pixel of which has a chromatic and/or luminous characteristic corresponding to a physical characteristic of a corresponding modulator in the array, an improved modulator comprising:

• means forming a first planar light reflective surface;
• a grating having means forming a plurality of second planar light reflective surfaces, the grating being arranged with its second reflective surfaces lying in a plane parallel to and spaced from the first planar reflective surface in a direction normal thereto;
• and
• means for moving the grating in a direction normal to said first planar reflective surface while maintaining the second reflective surfaces of the grating substantially parallel to the first planar reflective surface;
• whereby, when the spacing between the respective first and second light reflective surfaces is equal to m/4 times a particular wavelength of the incident light and m=an even whole number or zero, the modulator acts to reflect the particular wavelength of the incident light as a plane mirror, and when m=an odd whole number the modulator diffracts the particular wavelength of the beam of incident light as it reflects it, thereby providing modulation of the beam.

In a light modulating device including an array of individual light modulators for modulating an incident beam of light to generate an image, each pixel of which has a chromatic and/or luminous characteristic corresponding to a physical characteristic of a corresponding modulator in the array, an improved modulator comprising:

• a plurality of equally spaced apart elements, each including a light reflective planar surface, the elements being arranged parallel to each other and with the light reflective surfaces of the elements lying in a first plane;
• means for supporting the elements in relation to one another;
• and
• means for moving alternate ones of the elements relative to the other elements and between a first configuration wherein all elements lie in the first plane and the modulator acts to reflect the incident beam of light as a plane mirror, and a second configuration wherein alternate elements lie in a second plane parallel to the first plane and the modulator diffracts the incident beam of light as it is reflected from the planar surfaces of the elements.

In a light modulating device including an array of individual light modulators for modulating an incident beam of light to generate an image, each pixel of which has a chromatic and/or luminous characteristic corresponding to a physical characteristic of a corresponding modulator in the array, an improved modulator including at least three modulation components each of which is comprised of:

• a plurality of elongated elements, each including a light reflective planar surface, the elements being arranged parallel to each other and with the light reflective surfaces of the elements lying in one or more parallel planes;
• means for supporting the elements in relation to one another;
• and
• means for moving a first set of the elements in a direction normal to said planes and relative to a second set of the elements and between a first modulator configuration wherein said first and second sets act to reflect the incident beam of light as a plane mirror, and a second modulator configuration wherein said first and second sets diffract the incident beam of light as it is reflected from the surfaces of the several elements,
• each said modulation component being designed to diffract a different color into an optical system when illuminated with a beam of white light.

In a light modulating device including an array of individual light modulators for modulating an incident beam of light to generate an image, each pixel of which has a chromatic and/or luminous characteristic corresponding to a physical characteristic of a corresponding modulator in the array, an improved modulator including at least three modulation components each of which is comprised of:

• means forming a first planar light reflective surface;
• a grating having means forming a plurality of second planar light reflective surfaces, the grating being arranged with its second reflective surfaces lying in a plane parallel to and spaced from the first planar reflective surface in a direction normal thereto;
• and
• means for moving the grating in a direction normal to said first planar reflective surface while maintaining the second reflective surfaces of the grating substantially parallel to the first planar reflective surface;
• whereby, when the spacing between the respective first and second light reflective surfaces is equal to m/4 times a particular wavelength of the incident light and m=an even whole number or zero, the modulator acts to reflect the particular wavelength of the incident light as a plane mirror, and when m=an odd whole number the modulator diffracts the particular wavelength of the beam of incident light as it reflects it, thereby providing modulation of the beam,
• each said modulation component being designed to diffract a different color into an optical system when illuminated with a beam of white light.

In a light modulating device including an array of individual light modulators for modulating an incident beam of light to generate an image, each pixel of which has a chromatic and/or luminous characteristic corresponding to a physical characteristic of a corresponding modulator in the array, an improved modulator including at least three modulation components each of which is comprised of:

• a plurality of equally spaced apart elements, each including a light reflective planar surface, the elements being arranged parallel to each other and with the light reflective surfaces of the elements lying in a first plane;
• means for supporting the elements in relation to one another;
• and
• means for moving alternate ones of the elements relative to the other elements and between a first configuration wherein all elements lie in the first plane and the modulator acts to reflect the incident beam of light as a plane mirror, and a second configuration wherein alternate elements lie in a second plane parallel to the first plane and the modulator diffracts the incident beam of light as it is reflected from the planar surfaces of the elements,
• each said modulation component being designed to diffract a different color into an optical system when illuminated with a beam of white light.