Abstract: A spatial light modulator apparatus for an optical microscope system including an optical head with a mounting flange for mounting the optical head to a port of the microscope, a DMD for generating a pattern image of light, a light source mount for receiving a source of illumination, and one or more optical elements for directing light from the source of illumination to the DMD and to direct the pattern image generated by the DMD to the microscope. A DMD controller has a digital input and is connected to the DMD for driving the individual micromirrors of the DMD to generate the pattern image. A pattern generation subsystem is configured to output pattern image data and a digital interface is connected between the digital input of the DMD controller and the pattern generation subsystem, the digital interface configured to provide a digital drive signal to the DMD controller corresponding to the pattern image data.

Abstract: A high-energy optical beam generator providing a desired output waveform. The generator includes a master oscillator, such as a mode-locked laser, to generate an input beam, a first dispersive element to decompose the input beam into frequency components, a set of phase and amplitude modulators to modulate the frequency components individually, a set of power amplifiers to amplify the frequency components individually, and a second dispersive element to recombine the amplified and modulated frequency components into a single output beam. Phase control electronics control the modulators to provide the desired waveform for the output beam, based on its intended application and on sensed characteristics of the input beam and the output beam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical modulator array that uses stepped-well continuously tunable quantum well infrared modulators in order to accomplish electronic beam modulating. The present invention involves a coherent optical beam modulating device to steer an optical beam comprising: an optical modulator array, where said optical modulator array includes a stepped quantum well doped with electrons, wherein the modulator array affects operates as at least one of a phase modulator and a light intensity modulator base upon a voltage bias applied across the modulator array. The continuous tunable quantum well modulator includes asymmetry of the unit cell that allows transitions from the ground state to the second excited state that are normally forbidden in symmetrical quantum well infrared photodetectors.

Abstract: A variable focal length lens comprising micromirrors with one degree of freedom rotation is invented. The lens consists of many micromirrors and actuating components. The array of micromirrors with one degree of freedom rotation makes all lights scattered from one point of an object converge at one point of image plane by using rotation of micromirror. The micromirror has the same function as a mirror. Therefore, the reflective surface of the micromirror is made of metal, metal compound, multi-layered dielectric material, or other materials with high reflectivity. The actuating components control the rotational displacements of micromirrors electrostatically and/or electromagnetically. The optical efficiency of the micromirror array lens is increased by locating a mechanical structure upholding micromirrors and the actuating components under micromirrors. The known CMOS technologies can remove the loss in effective reflective area due to electrode pads and wires.

Abstract: A Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide is disposed in a substrate made of a material having an electro-optic effect. Coplanar-waveguide modulating electrodes are disposed on a principal surface of the substrate. A dielectric layer is disposed on a reverse surface of the substrate. A supporting substrate having a recess is disposed in contact with the dielectric layer such that the recess is located at a position corresponding to a modulating region. The relationship: ?r>?s is satisfied where ?r represents the dielectric constant of the supporting substrate and ?s represents the dielectric constant of the dielectric constant of solid, liquid, or gaseous substance in the recess.

Abstract: A projection system, a spatial light modulator, and a method for forming micromirrors are disclosed. A substrate comprises circuitry and electrodes for electrostatically deflecting micromirror elements that are disposed within an array of such elements forming the spatial light modulator. In one embodiment, the substrate is a silicon substrate having circuitry and electrodes thereon for electrostatically actuating adjacent micromirror elements, and the substrate is fully or selectively covered with a light absorbing material.

Abstract: An electronically modulated prism, having a bulk crystal, a plurality of electrode pads formed on a top surface of the bulk crystal, and a common electrode formed on a bottom surface of the bulk crystal. The bulk crystal is optically isotropic with zero electric field applied thereto and optically anisotropic when subjected to a non-zero electric field. More specifically, the bulk crystal between each of the electrode pads and the common electrode has an index of fraction altered proportionally to the electric field applied thereto, such that an incident beam propagate through the crystal is modulated with an accumulated phase shift.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a novel electrophoretic fluid composition for improving the temperature latitude and switching performance of an electrophoretic display, particularly at low operation temperatures.

Abstract: A method and spatial light modulator are provided herein. The spatial light modulator has a higher resolution and an increased fill factor. The spatial light modulator also provides an increased contrast ratio. Furthermore, the spatial light modulator of the present invention can be operated in the absence of polarized light and that has improved electro-mechanical performance and robustness with respect to manufacturing. A method and its alternative are disclosed herein by the present invention for manufacturing the spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A protection layer covers the cavity-side surface of a bottom electrode of a interferometric modulation pixel. Consequently, the protective layer protects the surface of the bottom electrode while a sacrificial layer between the bottom electrode and the top electrode is being etched. Thus, the distance between the bottom electrode and the top electrode is maintained, thereby ensuring that only the light with desired wavelengths is reflected by the interferometric modulation pixel.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator having a photo-detector for use in digital display systems is provided. The spatial light modulator modulates a light beam having multiple light components of different frequencies so as to produce color images. The photo-detector detects a component of the light beam and generates a timing signal. The timing signal is then used to synchronize the operation of the spatial light modulator with the sequence of incident light color components.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display device including first and second substrates disposed with a predetermined spacing, a partition member disposed between the first and second substrates, a plurality of electrophoretic particles and an insulating liquid which are sealed up by the substrates and the partition member, and first and second electrodes disposed close to the insulating liquid, is produced through a production process comprising the following steps (A), (B), (C) and (D): (A) a step of filling the insulating liquid and the electrophoretic particles in a recess defined by the first substrate and the partition member, (B) a step of placing a first area of the second substrate to be in contact with the partition member in an uncured state and a second area of the second substrate to be in contact with the insulating liquid in a cured state, (C) a step of causing the first area of the second substrate to contact the partition member and the second area of the second substrate to contact the insulating liquid, an

Abstract: A micromirror actuator having a micromirror, which is operative using an electrostatic force with a low voltage and wherein an electrostatic force opposite to the driving force of the micromirror is blocked, and a method for manufacturing the same, are provided. The micromirror actuator includes a substrate, a trench in which at least one electrode is formed, supporting posts installed at opposite sides of the trench, a torsion bar supported by the supporting posts, and the micromirror including a driving unit which faces the trench when the micromirror is in a horizontal state, and a reflecting unit, which is elastically rotated about the torsion bar, to reflect an optical signal. The actuator also includes a shielding electrode installed to face the reflecting unit when the micromirror is in a horizontal state and to block an electrostatic force occurring between the reflecting unit and the electrode.

Abstract: An optical transistor is disclosed. The optical transistor consists of a high speed photodetector region incident to a light intensity modulating region which separates a drain and source region. The disclosed optical transistor is able to exhibit high speed performance with good signal isolation and high amplification gain.

Abstract: An exposure system (5) for fabricating optical film (40) such as for photoalignment, where the optical film (40) has a photosensitive layer (20) and a substrate (10). The exposure system (5) directs an exposure beam from a light source (1) through the optical film (40), then uses a reflective surface (58) to reflect the exposure energy back through the optical film (40) to enhance or otherwise further condition the photoreaction of the photosensitive layer (20).

Abstract: The present invention provides an electro-optical device for displaying sharp color images at low cost. The electro-optical device can include a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, an electro-optical layer which is disposed between the first and second substrates and which includes electrophoretic particles and a dispersion medium, and a colored layer which is located at a position corresponding to the electro-optical layer and which includes at least one color element, wherein at least a part of the dispersion medium has substantially the same color as that of the color element.

Abstract: A method of ensuring that border pixels of a micromirror device are set to the “off” position. The method is typically performed at the factory, during inspection of the micromirror device. The border pixels are electrostatically set to the “on” position, then switched so that they are set to the “off” position. A reset signal then results in their being in the “off” position, even those pixels that were previously stuck or torqued “on”.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for obtaining position and energy information without pileup. Signal integration, which is triggered by a present event, stops when a subsequent event is detected. A weighted value for estimating the total energy in a scintillation is calculated, which includes the energy of the current event and a residual energy from previous events. Remnant correction is used to calculate a pile-up free energy from two consecutive weighted values. An analog filter may be applied to reduce noise. Dynamic digital weighting of integrated values, and/or digital integration may be used during data processing. Pileup can be avoided in conjunction with several types of applications, including multi-zone detector applications and coincidence detection applications. High-resolution timing techniques are also disclosed that facilitate one's ability to avoid pileup.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the recording and processing of the amplitude and phase of signal waves, whereby a signal source generates a modulated signal wave, which is altered on the way thereof through a transmission medium or through an object as a result of reflection and/or dispersion, received by a receiving device and directly demodulated therein, using a modulation signal which has a well-defined relationship to the modulation of the signal waves, by means of a modulation device without the signal wave carrier and recorded and analysed in relation to the amplitude of the modulated signal wave and phase relationship of the modulation pahse of the signal wave and of the modulation signal.

Abstract: A process and system for flame detection includes a microprocessor-controlled detector with a first sensor for sensing temporal energy in a first optical frequency range, and a second sensor for sensing temporal energy in a second optical frequency range. The temporal energy sensed in the respective first and second optical frequency ranges are transformed into respective first and second spectra of frequency components. A compensated spectrum of frequency components is generated by performing a frequency bin subtraction of the first and second spectra of frequency components. The compensated spectrum represents the energy emitted from the environment with energy emitted from false alarm sources. An average amplitude and centroid of the compensated spectrum are obtained and used to determine if a monitored phenomenon represents an unwanted fire situation.