CHARACTERIZATION OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE INTEGRATED OPTICALLY ADDRESSED SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS

An improved design for optically addressed multiple-quantum-well spati al light modulators is reported. These integrated AlGaAs modulators ar e of high optical quality and are simple to fabricate. They exhibit ex cellent performance characteristics such as 10:1 reflection contrast r atio, 1.5% diffraction efficiency, 7-mu m spatial resolution, and illu mination sensitivity less than 1 mu J/cm(2). Additionally, a new mode of operation is reported that dramatically improves the optical respon se of these devices at low frequencies. A new physical model is propos ed that accurately describes the modulation process. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.