Programmable volume photonics

我们提出创建一个光学可寻址的体积空间光调制器（SLM），可用于实现基于光的信息处理。虽然现有的SLM使用薄液晶（LC）层来创建2D相位调制，但我们提出的器件将由大量LC材料组成，这些材料将提供用于相位控制的3D矩阵。然后，这将使用3D形状的光进行光学寻址，以便重新配置“程序”。我们将免除与调制器的3D几何形状不兼容的电子驱动，而是使用纯光学寻址。该寻址所需的3D光场将使用单独的光学系统来创建。将需要新的方法来稳定和控制散装LC的方式尚未实施。

We propose to create an optically addressable volumetric spatial light modulator (SLM) that can be used to implement light based information processing. While existing SLMs use thin liquid crystal (LC) layers to create 2D phase modulation, our proposed device will consist of a bulk volume of LC material that will provide the 3D matrix for phase control. This would then be optically addressed using 3D shaped light in order to reconfigure the "program". We will dispense with the electronic driving, which is incompatible with the 3D geometry of the modulator, and instead use purely optical addressing. The 3D light fields required for this addressing will be created using a separate optical system. Novel methods will be needed to stabilise and control the bulk LC in ways that have not yet been implemented.