Complex spatial light modulator and 3D image display including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9720246-B2
Application number	US-201314109131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2013
Priority date	May 16, 2013
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A complex spatial light modulator for modulating a phase and amplitude of a light beam and a 3-dimensional (3D) display including the same are provided. The complex spatial light modulator includes a spatial light modulator modulating a phase of a light beam, a lenticular lens array disposed next to the spatial light modulator, and a volume holographic lens array spaced apart from the lenticular lens array and allowing light beams output from the lenticular lens array to be superimposed and to interfere with each other, and so that the phase and an amplitude of the light beam are simultaneously modulated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A complex spatial light modulator comprising:
a spatial light modulator which modulates a phase of a light beam transmitted therethrough;
a lenticular lens array disposed such that light transmitted by the spatial light modulator is incident thereon; and
a volume holographic lens array, spaced apart from the lenticular lens array, which superimposes light beams incident thereon such that the light beams interfere;
wherein the spatial light modulator comprises a liquid crystal layer,
wherein the volume holographic lens array has a holographic pattern structure comprising a plurality of lenses arrayed in a plurality of lens array holographic patterns which are spatially overlapped,
wherein the plurality of lenses are arranged such that the transmitted optical waves are combined on a same optical axis, thereby modulating both an amplitude and a phase of the light beam; and
wherein a focal length of the volume holographic lens array is twice as long as a focal length of the lenticular lens array.

2. The complex spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the volume holographic lens array and an image plane on which a light beam transmitted by the volume holographic lens array forms an image is twice as long as a distance between the lenticular lens array and the volume holographic lens array.

3. The complex spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the lenticular lens array and the volume holographic lens array is three halves as long as a focal length of the volume holographic lens array, and a distance between the volume holographic lens array and an image plane on which a light beam transmitted by the volume holographic lens array forms an image is three times as long as a focal length of the volume holographic lens array.

4. The complex spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein a width of one lens cell of the lenticular lens array is equal to a width of two pixels of the spatial light modulator.

5. The complex spatial light modulator of claim 1 , wherein an image light beam output from one pixel in the spatial light modulator is enlarged twice to form an image on an image plane.

6. A three-dimensional (3D) image display comprising:
an optical source unit which emits emitting a light beam;
a spatial light modulator which modulates a phase of the light beam transmitted therethrough; and
a beam combiner which modulates a phase and an amplitude of the light beam transmitted by the spatial light modulator,
wherein the beam combiner comprises a lenticular lens array, disposed such that light transmitted by the spatial light modulator is incident thereon, and a volume holographic lens array which superimposes light beams incident thereon such that the light beams interfere;
wherein the spatial light modulator comprises a liquid crystal layer,
wherein the volume hologram lens array has a holographic pattern structure comprising a plurality of lenses arrayed in a plurality of lens array holographic patterns which are spatially overlapped,
wherein the plurality of lenses are arranged such that the transmitted optical waves are combined on a same optical axis, thereby modulating both an amplitude and a phase of the light beam; and
wherein a focal length of the volume holographic lens array is twice as along as a focal length of the lenticular lens array.

7. The 3D image display of claim 6 , wherein a distance between the volume holographic lens array and an image plane on which a light beam transmitted by the volume holographic lens array forms an image is twice as long as a distance between the lenticular lens array and the volume holographic lens array.

8. The 3D image display of claim 6 , wherein a distance between the lenticular lens array and the volume holographic lens array is three halves as long as a focal length of the volume holographic lens array, and a distance between the volume holographic lens array and an image plane on which a light beam transmitted by the volume holographic lens array forms an image is three times as long as a focal length of the volume holographic lens array.

9. The 3D image display of claim 6 , wherein a width of one lens cell of the lenticular lens array is equal to a width of two pixels of the spatial light modulator.

10. The 3D image display of claim 6 , wherein an image light beam output from one pixel from the spatial light modulator is enlarged twice to form an image on an image plane.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Univ Korea Res & Bus Found

Inventors

• Won Kang-Hee
• Kim Hwi
• Sung Gee-Young
• Song Hoon
• Lee Hong-Seok
• Choi Su-Jin

Classifications

• G03H1/2205 Primary

  using downstream optical component · CPC title

• G02B30/27 Primary

  involving lenticular arrays · CPC title

• G03H2225/55

  Having optical element registered to each pixel · CPC title

• G03H2223/19

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

• G03H2225/33

  Complex modulation · CPC title