Complex light modulator, holographic display apparatus, and method of generating hologram pattern

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12092994-B2
Application number	US-202217574811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2022
Priority date	Mar 19, 2021
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a complex light modulator including a phase modulator, and an amplitude modulator, wherein the phase modulator and the amplitude modulator are configured to generate a first complex pixel having first complex light modulation characteristics and a second complex pixel having second complex light modulation characteristics, wherein the first complex pixel includes first sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and are configured to implement the first complex light modulation characteristics, wherein the second complex pixel includes second sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and are configured to implement the second complex light modulation characteristics, and wherein the first complex pixel and the second complex pixel respectively include a first overlapping pixel that is included in the first sub-complex pixels and the second sub-complex pixels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A complex light modulator comprising:
a phase modulator; and
an amplitude modulator,
wherein the phase modulator and the amplitude modulator are configured to generate a first complex pixel having first complex light modulation characteristics and a second complex pixel having second complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the first complex pixel includes first sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and are configured to implement the first complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the second complex pixel includes second sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and are configured to implement the second complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the first complex pixel and the second complex pixel respectively include at least two first overlapping pixels that are included in the first sub-complex pixels and the second sub-complex pixels, and
wherein among the sub-complex pixels provided in the 3×3 format, which include the at least two first overlapping pixels, phases of sub-complex pixels respectively provided at positions (1,1), (1,3), (2,2), (3,1), and (3,3) are 0°, phases of sub-complex pixels respectively located at positions (1,2) and (3,2) are 120°, and phases of sub-complex pixels respectively located at positions (2,1) and (2,3) are 240°, where a sub-complex pixel at a position (m,n) is provided at an mth row and nth column of the 3×3 format.

2. The complex light modulator of claim 1 , wherein the phase modulator and the amplitude modulator are further configured to generate a third complex pixel having third complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein a plurality of first overlapping pixels are provided,
wherein the third complex pixel includes third sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and implement the third complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the first complex pixel, the second complex pixel, and the third complex pixel respectively include one of the plurality of first overlapping pixels, and
wherein the one of the plurality of first overlapping pixels is included in the third sub-complex pixels.

3. The complex light modulator of claim 2 , wherein the phase modulator and the amplitude modulator are further configured to generate a fourth complex pixel having fourth complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the fourth complex pixel includes fourth sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and are configured to implement the fourth complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the first complex pixel, the second complex pixel, the third complex pixel, and the fourth complex pixel respectively include the one of the plurality of first overlapping pixels, and
wherein the one of the plurality of first overlapping pixels is included in the fourth sub-complex pixels.

4. The complex light modulator of claim 3 , wherein the first complex pixel and the fourth complex pixel further respectively include a second overlapping pixel that is included in the first sub-complex pixels and the fourth sub-complex pixels.

5. The complex light modulator of claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to provide a holographic data signal to the amplitude modulator,
wherein the amplitude modulator includes a spatial light modulator.

6. The complex light modulator of claim 1 , wherein the phase modulator includes a phase plate having a plurality of patterns,
wherein the plurality of patterns correspond to the first sub-complex pixels and the second sub-complex pixels on a one-to-one basis, and
wherein phases of the first sub-complex pixels and phases of the second sub-complex pixels correspond to thicknesses of the plurality of patterns.

7. The complex light modulator of claim 1 , wherein phases of the first sub-complex pixels form point symmetry, and phases of the second sub-complex pixels form point symmetry.

8. A holographic display apparatus comprising:
a backlight unit configured to provide light having coherence;
a Fourier lens configured to focus the light; and
a complex light modulator provided in a path of the light,
wherein the complex light modulator includes a first complex pixel having first complex light modulation characteristics and a second complex pixel having second complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the first complex pixel includes first sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and are configured to implement the first complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the second complex pixel includes second sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and are configured to implement the second complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the first complex pixel and the second complex pixel respectively include at least two first overlapping pixels that are included in the first sub-complex pixels and the second sub-complex pixels, and
wherein among the sub-complex pixels provided in the 3×3 format, which include the at least two first overlapping pixels, phases of sub-complex pixels respectively provided at positions (1,1), (1,3), (2,2), (3,1), and (3,3) are 0°, phases of sub-complex pixels respectively located at positions (1,2) and (3,2) are 120°, and phases of sub-complex pixels respectively located at positions (2,1) and (2,3) are 240°, where a sub-complex pixel at a position (m,n) is provided at an mth row and nth column of the 3×3 format.

9. The holographic display apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the complex light modulator further includes a third complex pixel having third complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein a plurality of first overlapping pixels are provided,
wherein the third complex pixel includes third sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and are configured to implement the third complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the first complex pixel, the second complex pixel, and the third complex pixel respectively include one of the plurality of first overlapping pixels, and
wherein the one of the plurality of first overlapping pixels is included in the third sub-complex pixels.

10. The holographic display apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the complex light modulator further includes a fourth complex pixel having fourth complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the fourth complex pixel includes fourth sub-complex pixels that are provided in a 3×3 format and implement the fourth complex light modulation characteristics,
wherein the first complex pixel, the second complex pixel, the third complex pixel, and the fourth complex pixel respectively include the one of the plurality of first overlapping pixels, and
wherein the one of the plurality of first overlapping pixels is included in the fourth sub-complex pixels.

11. The holographic display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first complex pixel and the fourth complex pixel further respectively include a second overlapping pixel that is included in the first sub-complex pixels and the fourth sub-complex pixels.

12. The holographic display apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the complex light modulator further includes a phase modulator and an amplitude modulator that are configured to define the first complex pixel and the second complex pixel.

13. The holographic display apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a diffraction prevention film provided in the path of the light,
wherein the diffraction prevention film is configured to enlarge a beam diameter of the light.

14. The holographic display apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a prism array provided in the path of the light,
wherein the prism array

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Univ Korea Res & Business Foundation Sejong Campus

Inventors

• Kim Yunhee
• Kim Hwi
• Lee Jonghyun
• Song Hoon

Classifications

• G03H2001/0224

  Active addressable light modulator, i.e. Spatial Light Modulator [SLM] · CPC title

• G03H2001/0088

  for video-holography, i.e. integrating hologram acquisition, transmission and display · CPC title

• G03H1/2205

  using downstream optical component · CPC title

• G03H1/02

  Details {of features involved during the holographic process; Replication of holograms without interference recording} · CPC title

• G03H2225/33

  Complex modulation · CPC title