The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 17, 1987
Filed:
Apr. 11, 1985
Applicant:
Inventor:
David Armitage, Los Altos, CA (US);
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01F / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
3503 / ; 350354 ;
Abstract
A differentiating spatial light modulator device in which a photoreceptor and an electro-optic crystal are isolated by a dielectric mirror. The electro-optic crystal is configured to have low or zero longitudinal response, yet is sensitive to transverse electric fields. The fringe field generated by the photoreceptor (photodiode) modultes the crystal birefringence. Readout via a polarizing beamsplitter gives an output light related to the spatial gradient of the input light. In a liquid crystal embodiment of the invention, reversal of the applied voltage gives a driven off state which speeds the erasure. Storage is possible in the smectic liquid crystal phase.