VLSI-FLC LASER-BEAM STEERING DEVICE

A NOVEL LIQUID CRYSTAL BEAM IS PROPOSED. THE ACTIVE MATERIAL PRODUCES ANALOG PHASE MODULATION (NEARLY 2 PI) WITH A SUB-MICRON LAYER, SWITCHING AT MICROSECONDS. TO ACHIEVE LARGE STEER ANGLES AND HIGH DIFFRACTION EFFICIENCY, HIGH SPATIAL FREQUENCY STRUCTURES WITH ANALOG PHASE ARE REQUIRED. THE NEMATIC MATERIALS CURRENTLY USED FOR SUCH DEVICES EXHIBIT SLOW RESPONSE TIMES, AND LIMITED RESOLUTION. WHILE THE SWITCHING SPEEDS AND LAYER THICKNESS OF SSFLC'S HAVE ATTRACTED ATTENTION FOR AGILE BEAM STEERERS, THEY HAVE LARGELY BEEN DISMISSED DUE TO THE INTRINSIC LACK OF ANALOG PHASE. THE BNS TECHNIQUE SOLVES THIS PROBLEM, PRODUCING ANALOG PHASE WITH A LARGE DYNAMIC RANGE. PHASE I RESEARCH INVOLVES MEASURING THE MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION (MTF) OF THE MATERIAL, USING A CHIRPED ELECTRODE PATTERN. A SINGLE PIXEL ANALOG PHASE MODULATOR IS ALSO DEMONSTRATED. A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF VLSI CAPABILITIES FOR ADDRESSING A LASER BEAM STEERER IS PERFORMED.