LNoS: lithium niobate-on-silicon spatial light modulator

Spatial light modulators (SLMs), devices that can dynamically control light, are essential for applications ranging from imaging and communications to quantum computing, yet existing technologies struggle to combine large apertures with high-speed modulation. We present a blueprint for a lithium niobate-on-silicon (LNoS) SLM: a scalable, large-aperture, high-speed electro-optic modulator, and demonstrate its core functionality on a prototype device. Our architecture integrates thin-film lithium niobate with a photonic crystal for guided mode resonance with a high-quality factor ( Q >1000), strong field confinement (field overlap ∼90%), and a measured 3 dB modulation bandwidth of 1.6 GHz (detector-limited). The fabrication uses scalable interference lithography and active photonic-layer bonding to a CMOS backplane with megapixel control. Together, these results establish a path toward large-aperture high-speed SLMs and highlight key co-design considerations for future scalable photonic systems.