Characterization of high performance integrated optically addressed spatial light modulators

An improved design for optically addressed multiple-quantum-well spatial light modulators is reported. These integrated AlGaAs modulators are of high optical quality and are simple to fabricate. They exhibit excellent performance characteristics such as 10:1 reflection contrast ratio, 1.5% diffraction efficiency, 7-mu m spatial resolution, and illumination sensitivity less than 1 mu J/cm(2). Additionally, a new mode of operation is reported that dramatically improves the optical response of these devices at low frequencies. A new physical model is proposed that accurately describes the modulation process. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.