Spatial light modulator providing improved image quality and holographic display apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349702-A1
Application number	US-201615169849-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Jun 1, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A spatial light modulator providing an expanded viewing window and a holographic display apparatus including the spatial light modulator are provided. The spatial light modulator includes a mask member having a periodic pattern that is arranged to split an area of each of a plurality of pixels into at least two portions such that a space between lattice spots formed by a period structure of the spatial light modulator increases.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A spatial light modulator comprising:
a two-dimensional (2D) array of a plurality of pixels; and a mask member having a periodic pattern that is arranged to split an area of each of the plurality of pixels into at least two portions.

2 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein a pattern pitch of the periodic pattern of the mask member is same as a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels.

3 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein a pattern pitch of the periodic pattern of the mask member is substantially equal to 1/N of a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels, N being an integer value.

4 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein the periodic pattern of the mask member has a first pattern pitch in a first direction and a second pattern pitch in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

5 . The spatial light modulator of claim 4 , wherein a ratio between the first pattern pitch of the periodic pattern of the mask member and a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels in the first direction is substantially equal to a ratio between the second pattern pitch of the periodic pattern of the mask member and a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels in the second direction.

6 . The spatial light modulator of claim 4 , wherein a ratio between the first pattern pitch of the periodic pattern of the mask member and a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels in the first direction is different from a ratio between the second pattern pitch of the periodic pattern of the mask member and a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels in the second direction.

7 . The spatial light modulator of claim 4 , wherein the first pattern pitch of the periodic pattern of the mask member is substantially equal to one out of an integer of a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels in the first direction, and the second pattern pitch of the periodic pattern of the mask member is substantially equal to 1/N of a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels in the second direction, N being an integer value.

8 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a black matrix arranged between the plurality of pixels, wherein a pattern width of the mask member is substantially equal to a pattern width of the black matrix.

9 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a black matrix arranged between the plurality of pixels, wherein the periodic pattern of the mask member has a first pattern and a second pattern, wherein a width of the first pattern is equal to a pattern width of the black matrix, and wherein a width of the second pattern is different from the pattern width of the black matrix.

10 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a black matrix arranged between the plurality of pixels, wherein the periodic pattern of the mask member is arranged between patterns of the black matrix and extends in a direction parallel to the patterns of the black matrix.

11 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein the periodic pattern of the mask member comprises an opaque black mask that blocks transmission of light.

12 . The spatial light modulator of claim 11 , wherein the mask member is in each of the plurality of pixels.

13 . The spatial light modulator of claim 12 , further comprising:
a black matrix arranged between the plurality of pixels, wherein the mask member is disposed on a layer on which the black matrix is disposed.

14 . The spatial light modulator of claim 11 , wherein the mask member is disposed on an external surface of the spatial light modulator.

15 . The spatial light modulator of claim 14 , wherein the mask member comprises a transparent film on which the periodic pattern is printed.

16 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein the periodic pattern of the mask member comprises a phase mask having a phase delay pattern that delays a phase of transmittance light.

17 . The spatial light modulator of claim 16 , wherein the mask member comprises a first area having a first thickness and a second area having a second thickness different from the first thickness.

18 . The spatial light modulator of claim 16 , wherein the mask member comprises a first area having a first refractive index and a second area having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index.

19 . The spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein the mask member comprises a first mask member having a periodic opaque pattern that blocks transmission of light and a second area having a periodic phase delay pattern that delays a phase of transmittance light.

20 . The spatial light modulator of claim 19 , wherein the periodic opaque pattern of the first mask member has a shape different from a shape of the periodic phase delay pattern of the second mask member.

21 . The spatial light modulator of claim 19 , wherein a shape of the periodic opaque pattern of the first mask member and a shape of the periodic phase delay pattern of the second mask member are of a same shape, and
wherein the periodic opaque pattern of the first mask member and the periodic phase delay pattern of the second mask member are disposed at different locations with respect to each of the plurality of pixels.

22 . A holographic display apparatus comprising:
a light source configured to emit light; a spatial light modulator that comprises an array of a plurality of pixels and is configured to diffract the light incident on the spatial light modulator to reproduce a hologram image; and a mask member having a periodic pattern that is arranged to split an area of each of the plurality of pixels into at least two portions.

23 . The holographic display apparatus of claim 22 , wherein a pattern pitch of the pattern of the mask member is substantially equal to a pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels or 1/N of the pixel pitch of the plurality of pixels, N being an integer value.

24 . The holographic display apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the spatial light modulator further comprises a black matrix between the plurality of pixels,
wherein the periodic pattern of the mask member is arranged between patterns of the black matrix and extends in a direction parallel to the patterns of the black matrix.

25 . The holographic display apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the periodic pattern of the mask member comprises a black mask, and wherein the black mask has an opaque pattern that blocks transmission of light.

26 . The holographic display apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the black mask is inside each of the plurality of pixels of the spatial light modulator.

27 . The holographic display apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the spatial light modulator further comprises a black matrix arranged between the plurality of pixels, and
wherein the black mask is disposed on a layer on which the black matrix is disposed.

28 . The holographic display apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the black mask is arranged on an external surface of the spatial light modulator and has a form of a transparent film on which the pattern is printed.

29 . The holographic display apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the periodic pattern of the mask member comprises a phase mask having a phase delay pattern that delays a phase of transmittance light.

30 . The h

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sung Geeyoung
• An Jungkwuen
• Lee Hongseok

Classifications

• G03H2223/23

  Diffractive element · CPC title

• G03H2001/0224

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

• G03H2225/33

  Complex modulation · CPC title

• G03H1/268 Primary

  Holographic stereogram · CPC title

• G03H2223/19

  Microoptic array, e.g. lens array · CPC title