Abstract

Optically addressed spatial light modulators (OASLMs) have potential applications in a wide range of computing and processing systems. The recent advent of fast devices using ferroelectric liquid crystals 1-3 has led to a rapid expansion of interest in a number of these areas. However, some applications such as beam steering4 and cellular image processing require a device that is not only fast, but is able to retain the image in the absence of write information or drive voltage so that processing with the read beam can proceed without interference from the write beam. In this paper we report the development of such a latching device and some preliminary experiments using it.

© 1990 Optical Society of America