Abstract

Optical computing systems offer increased information processing throughput rates by taking advantage of parallel optical architectures. The fundamental component in these architectures is a device which can modulate two-dimensional optical data. These devices, known as spatial light modulators (SLMs) have many applications including input/output data displays, spatial and matched filtering, incoherent- coherent light converters, optical crossbar switches, optical interconnection networks, and neurocomputing. The ideal system requirements placed on SLMs include high resolution (100 lp/mm), 1000 x 1000 pixels, megahertz frame rate, 100 grey levels, 1000:1 contrast ratio, and low cost [1]. An operating characteristic which often prevents SLM's from reaching these goals is device power dissipation [2]. Furthermore, devices which have large commercial markets have a better chance of meeting these systems requirements. In this paper we will discuss a new class of materials, ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs), that potentially can meet all the above system requirements.

© 1988 Optical Society of America