Spatial light modulator

SLM principle of operation. Light comes in on the left, and a pattern is produced in the light that goes out on the right.

A spatial light modulator is a gadget that can vary the properties of light that goes through it or reflects off of it. It can modulate the intensity and/or phase of light across a two-dimensional physical array.

Technologies for spatial light modulators include DMD and LCOS.

Companies that make spatial light modulators include Texas Instruments and Sony. TI makes SLMs. HoloEye makes SLMs. Meadowlark optics provides SLMs for research.

Spatial light modulators are related to microdisplays.

SLMs can either be amplitude modulation SLMs or phase modulation SLMs, typically.

LCOS SLMs can theoretically modulate amplitude, polarization, and phase all at once.

Modulation

Amplitude modulation is a kind of modulation of light.

It is used by some kinds of SLMs, for example DMDs.

See also

• Phase modulation