OPTICAL MODULATOR Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC G02F1/13 

FIELD: optics; electronic equipment.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to optics and opto-electronics. Its application in visible and infrared light beams devices and control systems, including in spatial light modulators, in holography, visualization and display of information, in storage devices, transformation and image processing makes it possible to expand the functionality due to the achievement in the optical modulator of a bi-stable mode of light scattering modulation with an increased modulation frequency range of up to 5 kHz, with a light scattering efficiency of at least 200:1 and storing any of the two optical states for at least ten seconds with possibility of its turning off in less than 50 mcs. For this purpose, the optical modulator is made on the basis of an electro-optical cell with a non-helicoidal ferroelectric liquid crystal (hereinafter – FLC) having a spontaneous polarization of not more than 50 nC/cm², the rotational viscosity in the interval 0.3–1.0 Poise, the thickness of the layer in the range of 10–25 mcm, and the periodic deformation of the smectic layers in the absence of an electric field and changing its optical anisotropy under the action of an alternating electric field. At that, FLC smectic layers deformation energy is less than 5⋅10³ erg/cm³.

EFFECT: invention application in optics and opto-electronics.

2 cl, 5 dwg