Improvement of spatial light modulator optical input/output performance using microlens arrays

Advanced spatial light modulators both detect incident light and modulate reflected light. Each pixel may contain multiple photodetectors, a modulator, control circuitry, and signal-processing circuitry. Because each detector and modulator occupies only a fraction of the area of a pixel the optical efficiency of these devices suffers. We have experimented with improving optical input/output performance by integrating a microlens array with a ferroelectric liquid-crystal VLSI spatial light modulator. We have studied the microlens VLSI spacing accuracy that must be achieved to yield minimum distortion of ref lected wave fronts and the best optical efficiency for Fourier-transform applications.