Abstract: A spatial light modulator (100) comprises a liquid crystal material (104), first and second electrodes (106, 108) disposed on opposing sides of the liquid crystal material (104), and a diffractive optical element (120) disposed between the electrodes (106, 108) and extending laterally across the modulator (100). The diffractive optical element (120) comprises an array of diffracting formations (122) formed from sub-wavelength structures. The array of diffracting formations (122) defines a phase profile adapted to modify the incident wavefront of light reflected off the second electrode and to apply a position-dependent wavefront correction to the incident wavefront of light.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator (100) comprises a liquid crystal material (104), first and second electrodes (106, 108) disposed on opposing sides of the liquid crystal material (104), and a diffractive optical element (120) disposed between the electrodes (106, 108) and extending laterally across the modulator (100). The diffractive optical element (120) comprises an array of diffracting formations (122) formed from sub-wavelength structures. The array of diffracting formations (122) defines a phase profile adapted to modify the incident wavefront of light reflected off the second electrode and to apply a position-dependent wavefront correction to the incident wavefront of light.

Abstract: A liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) device includes a silicon substrate and a pair of electrodes including an upper and a lower electrode. The lower electrode is mounted to the silicon substrate and includes a two dimensional array of pixels extending in both a first and second dimension. LCOS device also includes a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper and lower electrodes and configured to be driveable into a plurality of electrical states by drive signals provided to the pixels of the lower electrode. The pixels are rectangular in profile having longer sides in the first dimension than in the second dimension. Further, the two dimensional array includes a pixel pitch that is greater in the first dimension than in the second dimension.