The liquid crystal light valve, an optical-to-optical interface device

摘要

A new device is described that transfers high resolution, two-state (black and white) images from a noncoherent beam of light to a fully coherent beam of light in quasi real-time (less than 1 sec). The device is a photoconductor activated liquid crystal light valve that operates in the dynamic scattering mode of the liquid crystal. It has sensitivity of 1–10 μW/cm2 (at 5100 Å), resolution of 100 lines/mm and cycles on and off in 0.25 sec or less. This paper describes the construction and operation of the device and discusses its application to coherent optical data processing.