Ultrafast Spatial Light Modulation by Optical Control
Abstract
The generation and manipulation of structured light at nanosecond timescales is a ubiquitous problem in optics with a myriad of applications. Electronically controlled spatial light modulators (SLMs) are commercially available; however, they rely on slow liquid crystal or mechanical response times which limit the achievable modulation rate to ~kHz. While numerous research devices have attempted to improve this performance, their dependence upon electrical control elements for each pixel Ð which degrades the optical performance and limits the achievable pixel density Ð has prevented the realization of an ÒidealÓ spatial light modulator with GHz-order rates and wavelength-order pixel spacings. In this program, we plan to surmount these traditional limitations of electronic-based waveshaping devices by demonstrating an optically controlled ÒwirelessÓ SLM. Specifically, we will investigate the dynamic control of 2D arrays of small mode volume (V) integrated optical cavities using state-of-the-art incoherent display technology. Recent and proposed advances in fabrication-tolerant, high-Q/V resonator design, combined with the latest advances in high-efficiency microLED displays, will enable individual optical modes to be controlled at GHz-order rates with over three orders of magnitude less power than traditional devices. For example, a one megapixel aperture with wavelength-scale pixel pitches could be controlled at a 1 GHz frame rate with less than 1 W of optical pump power. This unprecedented efficiency will allow us to demonstrate the first large-scale, fully tunable integrated photonic circuits. The resulting ultradense, fully controllable array of free space optical signals would be immediately applicable to a variety of fields Ð including LiDAR, high-power beam forming and steering, high bandwidth optical interconnects, superresolution microscopy, as well as optical neural networks Ð and could even unveil unforeseen opportunities in optical science.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 09, 2020
- Source ID
- W911NF2010084
Entities
People
- Dirk Englund
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- United States Army