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AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorRene P. Helbing
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A heated ferroelectric liquid crystal-based spatial light modulator (SLM) that minimizes pixel sticking when operated in a non-DC-balanced mode with spiking and method for using same. The SLM comprises a transparent electrode, a pixellated electrode, ferroelectric liquid crystal material, and a heater. The ferroelectric liquid crystal material is sandwiched between the transparent electrode and the pixellated electrode. The heater is capable of heating the ferroelectric material to at least 40.degree. C. and preferably to between 50 and 60.degree. C. The invention may also provide a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the SLM and a temperature control circuit that is electrically connected to both the temperature sensor and the heater. The temperature sensor may be a diode located proximate to the pixellated electrode or a photo-diode located remote from the spatial light modulator. The heater may be integrated into and encapsulated by a substrate supporting the pixellated electrode or it may be supported on a second major surface of the substrate. The method according to the invention includes providing a SLM, preheating the SLM, and operating the SLM in a non-DC-balanced mode with spiking while monitoring and maintaining the a temperature of the SLM above 50.degree. C.
A ferroelectric liquid crystal-based spatial light modulator with decreased pixel sticking, when operated in a non-DC-balanced mode with spiking, comprising:
A method of minimizing pixel sticking in a ferroelectric liquid crystal-based spatial light modulator operating in a non-DC-balanced mode, the method comprising:
For a spatial light modulator that includes a transparent electrode, a pixellated electrode, and ferroelectric liquid crystal material sandwiched between the transparent electrode and the pixellated electrode, a method of minimizing pixel sticking in the spatial light modulator, the method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.