Distributed resonant cavity light beam modulator

An optical apparatus comprising means for producing a coherent polarized beam of electromagnetic radiation having a preselected wavelength,

• a transparent layer means for receiving the polarized beam and for supporting at least one resonant mode,
• grating means imposed on said layer means for establishing optical interaction with the layer means and having a grating period less than said preselected wavelength, said grating means being characterized by a pair of coupling constants;
• controlling means for controlling the coupling constants characterizing said grating means to optimize the angular bandwidth of the grating means relative to its spectral bandwidth, and
• the layer means and grating means interacting responsive to receiving the polarized beam to couple the layer means with the grating means to produce a standing wave resonance by Bragg reflection in the layer means, and
• control means for controlling the interaction of the layer means and the grating means for obtaining a resonance wavelength in the layer means equal to the preselected radiation wavelength and thereby high reflectance to modulate the polarized beam.

A spatial light modulator comprising an array of modulators, drive means connected to drive each modulator and photosensor means to sense light and responsive thereto to control said drive means, each said modulator of said array comprising means for producing a coherent polarized beam of electromagnetic radiation having a preselected wavelength,

• a transparent layer means for receiving the polarized beam and for supporting at least one resonant mode,
• grating means imposed on said layer means for establishing optical interaction with the layer means and having a grating period less than said preselected wavelength, said grating means being characterized by a pair of coupling constants;
• controlling means for controlling the coupling constants characterizing said grating means to optimize the angular bandwidth of the grating means relative to its spectral bandwidth,
• the layer means and grating means interacting to produce a standing wave resonance by Bragg reflection in the layer means, and
• said drive means associated with each modulator controlling same to obtain in said layer means a resonance wavelength in the layer means equal to the preselected radiation wavelength and thereby high reflectance to modulate the polarized beam.