RESOLUTION AND RESPONSE-TIME DEPENDENCE OF FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL OPTICALLY ADDRESSED SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS ON GRATING PROFILES

We introduce a model to analyze the time response of an optically addr essed spatial light modulator (OASLM) when a two-dimensional image is written on it. Comparison with experimental results is performed by us e of gratings as input images. For a given spatial frequency, we show that the response time of the device depends on the grating profile. T he effect of the time-constant mechanism is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally for a sinusoidal-wave and a square-wave intensity profile. An alternative explanation for the resolution limitation of t he OASLM that is related to the time-constant mechanism and a new meth od for measuring the resolution of the device are proposed. (C) 1997 O ptical Society of America.