Bistable Optically Addressed Spatial Light Modulator for Optical Computing

该合同将开发一系列基于光寻址空间光调制器的新型光学器件，该调制器采用偏振选择性反射器。这些器件可以在非常低的光水平下表现出光学双稳定性，因此对于包括存储器在内的各种光学处理应用应该是有用的。提出的器件将结合我们已经展示的高性能空间光调制器和由胆甾液晶聚合物的圆二向色薄膜制成的反射器。胆甾相液晶聚合物具有强烈的圆二向色性，价格便宜，而且足够耐用，可以制成易于形成的独立薄膜。此外，它的光学特性实际上对温度不敏感。在我们提出的SBIR工作的第一阶段，我们将合成先前演示的胆甾液晶聚合物并形成圆二色性薄膜反射器。在第二阶段我们提出的工作中，我们将通过在光敏层和折射层之间夹入圆形二向色反射器来修改Displaytech光学寻的空间光调制器。我们还将把胆甾液晶聚合物开发成一种有用的光学材料，用于光学隔离材料、耐用的激光阻挡滤光片和二向色镜涂层。

This award will develop a family of novel optical devices based on optically addressed spatial light modulators employing polarization selective reflectors. These devices can exhibit optical bistability at very low light levels, hence should be useful for a wide variety of optical processing applications, including memory. The proposed devices will combine our already demonstrated high performance spatial light modulators with reflectors made from circularly dichroic thin films of cholesteric liquid crystal polymer. The cholesteric liquid crystal polymer is intensely circularly dichroic, potentially cheap, and durable enough to make readily formed free-standing films. Furthermore its optical properties are virtually temperature insensitive. In phase I of our proposed SBIR work, we will synthesize a previously demonstrated cholesteric liquid crystal polymer and form a circularly dichroic thin film reflector. In phase II our proposed work, we will modify a Displaytech optically addressed spatial light modulator by sandwiching the circular dichroic reflector between photosensing layer and the refractive layer. We will also develop the cholesteric liquid crystal polymer into a useful optical material for optical material for optical isolators, durable laser blocking filters, and dichroic mirror coatings.