Abstract: A spatial light modulator with application to holography utilizes two planar transparent supports between which is positioned an electro-optical dipolar medium which is normally opaque but light transmissive in the presence of an applied electric field. Orthogonally disposed arrays of transparent electrodes are supported from the transparent supports and are arranged to be sequentially scanned in sampling fashion to define a sequence of uniform electric fields forming apertures of predetermined diameter. For holographic applications, one of the surfaces of the supports receives the interference pattern generated by the reference and object illumination emanating from a coherent source and the opposite support is operatively associated with a photodetecting arrangement. Through the generation of scanning synchronization signals and data signals from the photodetectors, an electronic representation of holographic data is achieved.

Abstract: Holographic data in the form of electronic signals is generated through the utilization of two planar transparent supports between which is positioned an electro-optical dipolar medium which is normally opaque but light transmissive in the presence of an applied electric field. Orthogonally disposed arrays of transparent electrodes are positioned upon the transparent supports and are arranged to be sequentially scanned in sampling fashion to define a sequence of uniform electric fields forming apertures of consistent effective diameter. One of the surfaces of the supports receives the interference pattern generated by the reference and object illumination emanating from a coherent source and the opposite support is operatively associated with a photodetecting arrangement. Through the generation of scanning synchronization signals and data signals from the photodetectors, an electronic representation of holographic data is achieved.