Programmable diffractive optics for wide-dynamic-range wavefront control using liquid-crystal spatial light modulators

Optical vortex discrimination with a transmission volume hologram

“…The first row shows the theoretical phase modulo 2π . In order to generate optical vortex fields with the SLM, the theoretical phase functions are first scaled to compensate for phase nonlinearities in the SLM and then added to a second phase function that compensates for wavefront errors introduced by irregularities in the reflective substrate of the SLM [22]. The resulting phase function is then displayed modulo 2π within a circular region on the SLM.…”

Novel laser beam steering techniques

“…The irradiance distribution determines the local electric field which controls the orientation of the LC director. The OA-SLM exhibits reduced diffraction artefacts because of the absence of a pixelated electrode structure and is scaleable to large apertures [26].…”

Modeling of optical aberration correction using a liquid crystal device

“…In an ideal perfect conjugate system, where the correction device is (1) total s ray aber SLM η η η η η = placed at the conjugate position of the primary optical element, the position of any ray that hits a particular point on the primary mirror will hit a corresponding point on the LC-SLM. There is a one to one relationship of the ray interception position on the primary mirror and the correction device, and it doesn't matter what is the magnitude or order of the aberration on the primary mirror.…”

“…Researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory and other groups have pioneered in developing liquid crystal devices for tip-tilt, and more general wavefront correction [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] . McManamon and Watson et al pioneered in liquid crystal Optical Phased Array device, as well as the basic efficiency theory related to such device [4] .…”

“…Gruneisen et al, pioneered in high-resolution wavefront control in a large aperture telescope https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20060005187 2018-05-12T21:30:31+00:00Z with diffractive optical element. They studied the diffraction efficiency, dynamic range of correction, efficiency for correcting large defocus and astigmatism, wavelength dependence of such system using Fourier Optics approach [1][2][3] . Also, Gruneisen has addressed the efficiency issue associated with the local wavefront slope needed for large correction.…”