CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEFORMABLE MIRROR DEVICE FOR OPTICAL INFORMATION-PROCESSING

A new two-dimensional, fast, analog, electrically addressable, silicon-based membrane spatial light modulator (SLM) has been developed for optical information processing applications. This SLM, the deformable mirror device (DMD), consists of a 128 multiplied by 128 array of deformable mirror elements addressed by an underlying array of MOS transistors. Coherent light reflected from the mirror elements in phase modulated producing an optical Fourier transform of an analog signal input to the device. The DMD architecture and operating parameters are presented. A model is developed that describes the optical Fourier transform properties of the DMD. The calculated peak first-order diffraction efficiency of 8. 2% is in agreement with the value of 8. 4% obtained from experimental optical Fourier transform measurements.