Using the Texas Instruments phase light modulator for high-speed superpixel complex field modulation

We present a new technique for complex field modulation (CFM) using the Texas Instruments phase light modulator (PLM)—a new spatial light modulator (SLM) technology now nearing commercial availability. In contrast to the tip-tilt actuation of reflective micromirrors of existing digital micromirror devices (DMDs), PLMs actuate micromirrors via “piston-mode” displacements, with each reflective pixel able to influence light phase directly via 16 electronically controlled positional levels. However, owing to fabrication limitations, existing PLMs exhibit a non-uniform distribution of phase levels; a characteristic that could require device-specific calibration and compensation for sensitive CFM applications. To address this limitation, our technique, termed binary phase-engraved (BiPE) superpixel-based CFM, utilizes a PLM as a binary phase modulator capable of high-accuracy spatial amplitude and phase modulation at speeds of up to 1.44 kHz. Using BiPE superpixel-based CFM, we demonstrate laser beam shaping, high-speed projection, and augmented-reality display.