Optical addressing enables a new architecture for spatial light modulators

Rapidly developing augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and holographic display technologies require spatial light modulators (SLMs) with high pixel resolution and fast refresh rates to meet increasing application demands. However, existing modulators are limited by large pixel sizes and low spatiotemporal product density. A recent work reports an optically addressed metasurface spatial light modulator (OA-MSLM) that achieves sub-micron pixel pitch with optical addressing of independently tunable meta-atom supercells. The device enables real-time complex-amplitude holography, three-dimensional focusing, and wide-angle beam steering in the visible spectrum. This approach represents a revolutionary paradigm in wavefront control, promising scalable platforms for three-dimensional display, additive manufacturing, and adaptive optics.