Abstract

An important component of most optical processing architectures is an electrically addressed spatial light modulator to provide the necessary electronic-optical interface for input and manipulation of information on the optical beams. A commercially available low-cost (<$150), liquid crystal TV receiver is being characterized and employed in coherent optical signal processing applications. The device employs a twisted-nematic liquid crystal modulator addressed by a 120 × 140 electrode matrix and is operated in transmission. The modulator is controlled by a microprocessor via a direct video input port. Performance parameters including dynamic-range/contrast, time response, resolution, and phase distortion are reported. The performance of this device in the input plane and the Fourier plane of coherent optical processor configurations, such as a correlator, is also being investigated. Application to more advanced optical processor architectures, for example, in the capacity of a real-time computer-generated hologram, is also discussed.

© 1985 Optical Society of America