Analog distorted helix ferroelectric liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulator

We report what are to our knowledge the first results from a liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulator that uses the distorted helix ferroelectric mode to perform analog light modulation. The spatial light modulator is an electronically addressed analog 128 x 128 pixel device with which we have demonstrated 16 gray levels and contrast ratios of 33:1 in the zeroth diffracted order and 6:1 when imaged. The liquid-crystal switching speed in this device is approximately 235 micros, which when added to the data load time of 100 micros gives a maximum frame rate of approximately 3 kHz.