Abstract: An optical switching device with switch elements (224) similar to digital micromirror devices (DMD). The switching element (224) resides in a trench (216) between two elevated areas on the substrate (214a, 214b). Sending and receiving fibers (218a, 218b) face each other across the trench (216) with the switch element (224) between them. When the switch is ON, light travels through lenses (220a, 220b) in the trench (216) from one fiber (218b) to the other (218a). When the switch is flipped OFF, the element (224) is activated and blocks the light from the sending fiber (218b) by reflecting or absorbing the light from the sending fiber (218b). The switch is activated and possibly deactivated by addressing electrodes (226a, 226b) under the element (224), which deflects through an air gap towards the activated electrode (226b). For better deflection angles the posts can be arranged closer to one end of the element than the other. An alternate hinge architecture is also provided.

Abstract: It is possible to replace a standard tuning unit in a television with spatial light modulator circuitry to improve the resolution seen by the viewer. The invention herein provides a system architecture, individual part of the system and techniques for minimizing the burst data rate while maintaining a reasonable system speed. The resultant system provides better resolution with a manageable data rate and bandwidth.

Abstract: It is possible to use an oriented monolayer to limit the Van der Waals forces between two elements by passivation. An oriented monolayer (34) is formed upon the landing electrode (10) of a spatial light modulator element. When the element is activated and deflects to come in contact with the landing electrode, the oriented monolayer decreases the Van der Waals forces and prevents the element from sticking to the electrode.

Abstract: A device for patterning an imaging member (46) is provided. The device comprises a light source (24) which emits light rays (26). Light rays (26) pass through a collimator lens (28) to collimate the light rays (30). The light then strikes a spatial light modulator (32) which is controlled by a computer (40) to reflect the light (42). The light passes through an imaging lens (44) to magnify the pattern for striking imaging member (46). Imaging member (46) is thus patterned by changing modulator (32) by computer (40).

Abstract: A system for writing to, and reading from, optical media. For writing, the media changes when subjected to high intensity modulated light representing an image, such that the image is recorded. A deformable micro-mirror device (DMD) receives electrical input representing the image to be recorded. A high intensity light source illuminates the DMD, which reflects modulated light to an imaging lens. The lens focusses the image onto the media. To record multiple images on the same media, various embodiments provide for scanning across the media. For reading, the media is illuminated with uniform low intensity light. The DMD provides this uniform light, which is transmitted through a pre-recorded media to an image capture device.

Abstract: A method and system for calibration of optical systems is disclosed. The system consists of a reference source (12), a spatial light modulator (26) for transmitting the reference source signal through non-imaging optics (30) and into the input of an optical system (36). The output of the optical system is then compared to the input signal and a correction is derived. The correction is stored and used real-time to adjust the output of the system to more accurately reflect the actual input signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a plurality of groups of colored cells controllable by electronic circuitry. Each group of colored cells absorb or reflect specified wavelengths of visible light. The electronic signals control the pathways on which each individual cell reflects incident light. A first process for manufacturing such a color spatial light modulator ("SLM") includes aligning a dye-bearing substrate over the spatial light modulator and causing specified portions of the dye to sublimate off of the substrate and condense onto particular cell elements of the spatial light modulator. A second process for producing a colored spatial light modulator places an electrostatic charge in a dye cloud and introduces the charged cloud to the SLM. The dye migrates to those selected cells containing an opposite electrical charge.

Abstract: A speckle-free display system using coherent light is disclosed. The light is directed through a spinning diffusing element to illuminate a spatial light modulator. The spinning element is operable to move the interference patterns around the screen at a speed where it is undetectable to the human eye. The diffusing element is more than likely comprised of ground glass.

Abstract: An optical system is described for combining separate deformable mirror device images into a single image. The resulting image is a single continuous image comprising left and right halves corresponding to the original individual images. The system is particularly useful for presenting spatial light modulator images to the printing drum of a xerographic process for letter quality documents. The combined image width allows a substantially greater printing width than was previously possible.

Abstract: A method and circuit for improving a video signal. They can be used to nullify the gamma correction applied at the broadcast end for cathode-ray tube signals when using a spatial light modulator display. Additionally, the method and circuit can be used to generally improve the quality of the display for computer monitors or other formats that do not require the gamma nullification.

Abstract: A digitized video display system has a spatial light modulator which has individual elements which are controllable to produce individual beams which form an image. The individual elements are controllable at a frequency which is less than the critical flicker frequency of the human eye to produce individual beams which form an image. The individual elements are controlled to provide a luminosity control over individual pixels or voxels of the image.

Abstract: It is possible to utilize changes in the complex effective refractive index caused by bringing a metal membrane in close proximity to the core of an optical waveguide to form many devices. The invention described herein provides structures and processes that do so, the structure comprising a substrate, a lower cladding, a waveguide core, a removable upper cladding which supports a metal membrane, and an electrode for deflecting said membrane.Switchable devices using this structure include, but are not limited to, polarizers, mode converters, optical switches, Bragg devices, directional couplers and channel waveguides.

Abstract: An optical modulator is disclosed. The modulator is based upon an ARROW waveguide, consisting of a substrate, a lower cladding, an interference layer, and a core layer. An electronic element is formed in the structure to control the free-carrier concentration in the interference layer. The light is coupled by grating into the interference layer, where the free-carrier concentration is controlled by the element, which in turn controls the modulation of the light in the interference layer before it is coupled back to the core layer.

Abstract: A digitized video system with an increased viewing angle having a light projector and a display screen. The light projector generating a plurality of narrow light beams to impinge on the display screen at a plurality of associated points. The display screen has a transducer generating surface acoustic waves which traverse the associated points. This results in reduced laser speckle.

Abstract: A method and structure for reformatting digitized standard video data for input into a binary spatial light modulator. The data enters circuitry that separates all of the equally weighted binary data into line segments, which are then stored. The data is then read out of the memory in such a manner that the proper digital samples correspond to the proper rows and columns of the spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A stereolithographic apparatus is disclosed comprising a vat, a working surface in the vat, an elevating mechanism for controlling the level of liquid within the vat relative to the working surface, an illumination source for emitting radiation, and an area array deformable mirror device. The illumination source emits radiation which is operable to harden a stereolithographic liquid, while the deformable mirror device is operable to reflect the incident radiation onto the surface of the liquid. The deformable mirror device can harden an entire lamina of liquid in one brief exposure interval increasing throughout without sacrificing resolution.

Abstract: There is disclosed a modularly adapted printing system and method of operation which allows the exposure unit, the toner unit, the printing surface and the fuser unit to be separately removed for servicing and repair. Each of the units can be replaced as necessary without disturbing the other units.

Abstract: A method for increasing the brightness of a scene in a color projection system is disclosed. The brightness can be increased in both temporal and spatial filtering systems. In a temporal system, a portion of the total illumination time is allocated to white light to raise the overall brightness. In a spatial system, part of the illuminated area is allocated to white light. The parts could be allocated as regions on a spatial light modulator, or a spatial light modulator could be dedicated to that area to use white light.

Abstract: A structure to be used as a switchable optical filter is disclosed. The structure comprises a substrate transparent to the radiation of interest, which contains or supports an electrode. A spacer layer suspends the membrane over the electrode such that no spacer lies between the electrode and the membrane, yet some spacer remains elsewhere to support the membrane. The membrane has slots in it which are of a specified length in order to resonate at a particular wavelength of radiation. When the electrode is activated, the membrane deflects and its varying proximity to the substrate changes the wavelength of transmission. The method of manufacture is also disclosed.

Abstract: A color display system for transforming pixel data, where each of three primary colors is represented by a value for its intensity, into an image. Three light sources, 11a-11c, one for each primary color, each illuminate a spatial light modulator (SLM) 12a -12c, such as a deformable mirror device. Each of these SLMs 12a-12c is operated so that it reflects an amount of light corresponding to the intensity of the pixel currently being displayed. The light thus regulated is linearized into a single beam of mixed-color light using mirrors 14a, 14b, and lens 15, and directed to an addressing SLM 13. Addressing SLM 13 is operated so that only an element corresponding to the pixel being displayed is "on". The addressing SLM 13 reflects the mixed-color light for that pixel to a photosensitive surface 18.