| US 7,522,328 B2 | ||
| Thermally controlled spatial light modulator using phase modulation | ||
| Matthias Wagner, Cambridge, Mass. (US); Shuyun Wu, Acton, Mass. (US); Charles M. Marshall, North Andover, Mass. (US); Eugene Y. Ma, Newton, Mass. (US); and John F. Heanue, Manchester, Mass. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Redshift Systems Corporation, Burlington, Mass. (US) | ||
| Filed on May 11, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/803,044. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/851438, filed on Oct. 13, 2006. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/872833, filed on Dec. 05, 2006. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0088906 A1, Apr. 17, 2008 | ||
| Int. Cl. G02B 26/00 (2006.01); G02B 27/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 359—237 [359/578] | 34 Claims |
| 1. Apparatus comprising a thin-film interference filter structure having a generally wavelength-dependent phase response to
incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths,
the thin-film interference filter structure including at least one thermally tunable layer such that a range of wavelength-dependent
phase responses are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer,
the thin-film interference filter structure being configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy
at the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and impart upon
output optical energy spatial phase modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of thermal energy.
|