Abstract

The point-spread function (PSF) of an electrooptic spatial light modulator (ESLM), such as the Pockels Readout Optical Modulator (PROM) or the PRIZ, is derived for various electrooptic crystal orientations and for charge distributions consisting of one or two point charges located in the electrooptic-crystal bulk. It is shown that phase modulation occurs for crystallographic orientations other than 〈001〉, resulting in signal-dependent phase distortions in the image plane and increased harmonic distortion in the Fourier plane. By utilizing linear systems theory, ESLM sensitivity and resolution are analyzed by means of generalized voltage transfer functions. Strikingly strong dependences on crystallographic orientation and charge position are shown. The effects of readout polarization on the angular dependence of the phase and amplitude of the PSF for various crystallographic orientations are also derived.

© 1984 Optical Society of America

Theoretical resolution limitations of electrooptic spatial light modulators. I. Fundamental considerations

Y. Owechko and A. R. Tanguay
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 1(6) 635-643 (1984)

Effects of operating mode on electrooptic spatial light modulator resolution and sensitivity

Y. Owechko and A. R. Tanguay
Opt. Lett. 7(12) 587-589 (1982)

Test and evaluation of the Soviet Prom and Priz spatial light modulators

D. Casasent, F. Caimi, and A. Khomenko
Appl. Opt. 20(24) 4215-4220 (1981)

Applications of the Priz light modulator

David Casasent, Frank Caimi, M. P. Petrov, and A. V. Khomenko
Appl. Opt. 21(21) 3846-3854 (1982)

Numerical analysis of the modulation transfer function of a Pockels readout optical modulator device

Jing Chen and Takumi Minemoto
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 6(9) 1281-1291 (1989)