Digitally controlled fiber optic light modulation system

Abstract

A fiber optic spatial light modulation system which includes a light source which produces source light, an optical fiber bundle which includes a plurality of individual optical fibers, and a spatial light modulator which is interposed between the light source and the optical fiber bundle, and which selectively modulates the amount of the source light coupled into each of the individual optical fibers, wherein the amount of the source light coupled into different ones of the individual optical fibers can be unequal. In the disclosed embodiment, the spatial light modulator is a digital micromirror device which includes an array of micromirrors, a semiconductor memory which includes an array of memory cells, wherein each of the memory cells is associated with a respective one of the micromirrors and stores a bit of binary data, and the system employs a digital microprocessor which executes a desired control algorithm and sends the binary data to appropriate ones of the memory cells to selectively drive the micromirrors into an on position or an off position in accordance with the binary value of the binary data. Each of the individual optical fibers has associated therewith a plurality of micromirrors which are each oriented to couple the source light into the corresponding individual optical fiber when in the on position and to not couple the source light into the corresponding individual optical fiber when in the off position.