Light modulator and substrate having micro and / or NANO patterned elements for optical modulation

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to a transparent substrate for use in a light modulator. The substrate has at least one driving electrode applied to a first surface of the substrate. The driving electrode may be arranged in a pattern across the substrate, and may receive an electric potential causing modulation of the optical properties of the light modulator. Patterned elements are applied to a surface of the substrate altering the phase, amplitude, and / or polarization of light interacting with the substrate.

Description

FP1260221HK / ME Title: Optical Modulator and Substrate with Micro and / or Nanopatterned Elements for Optical Modulation Abstract Some embodiments relate to transparent substrates for optical modulators. The substrate has at least one driving electrode applied to a first surface of the substrate. The driving electrode may be arranged across a pattern on the substrate and may receive a potential, thereby causing modulation of the optical properties of the optical modulator. Patterned elements are applied to the surface of the substrate to alter the phase, amplitude, and / or polarization of light interacting with the substrate.

Claims

CLAIMSClaim 1. A transparent substrate for use in a light modulator, the substrate comprising at least one driving electrode (111-114,121-124) applied to a first surface of the substrate, the driving electrode being arranged in a pattern across the substrate, the electrode being arranged to receive an electric potential causing modulation of the optical properties of the light modulator, wherein nano and / or micro patterned elements are applied to a surface of the substrate altering the phase, amplitude, and / or polarization of light interacting with the substrate, wherein the patterned elements are arranged to compensate an optical artifact of the light modulator caused by the driving electrodes.Claim 2. A substrate as in Claim 1 , wherein the patterned elements have a maximal diameter in a two-dimensional cross-section parallel to the substrate, the diameter being at most 10 micrometer, at most 2 micrometer, at most 1 micrometer, or at most 500 nanometer, and / or a smallest distance between two patterned elements is at most 2 micrometer, at most 1 micrometer, at most 500 nanometer, and / or a smallest distance between two patterned elements is at least 10 nanometer, at least 50 nanometer, at least 100 nanometer, 200 nanometer, or 400 nanometer, the patterned elements have at least two non-consecutive edges, a minimum distance between two points on respective ones of the non-consecutive edges being at most 2 micrometer, at most 1 micrometer, or at most 500 nanometer.Claim 3. A substrate as in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the patterned elements form a metasurface.Claim 4. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements extend from the surface having a maximal height in a direction perpendicular tothe substrate, the height being at most 2 micrometer, at most 1 micrometer, or at most 500 nanometer, preferably, a height between 100 and 1000 nanometer.Claim 5. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements are applied to the first surface and / or wherein the patterned elements are applied to a second surface opposite the first surface.Claim 6. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the optical artifact is any one of: diffraction, refraction, light scattering, perturbation of the light when passing through or reflecting from the substrate.Claim 7. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements are configured to create an opposite diffractive effect compared to the one created by the driving electrodes of the modulator.Claim 8. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements provide light wavelength control to filter light passing through the substrate according to wavelength.Claim 9. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements alter the wavefront of light passing through the substrate generating a holographic image.Claim 10. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements alter the wavefront of light reflecting through the substrate and compensate for optical aberration generated by the driving electrode.Claim 11 . A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements provide light polarization control to manipulate linear or circular polarization.Claim 12. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements include elements of controllable shape, arranged to provide control the altering of the phase, amplitude, and / or polarization of light interacting with the substrate.Claim 13. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the light modulator is arranged for use within a defined spectral range, wherein the patterned elements have a total transmittance within the spectral range of at most 10%.Claim 14. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements comprise a phase change material having an optical distortion dependent on an external factor, for example, temperature, pressure, and / or electric field.Claim 15. A substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the patterned elements on the substrate comprise transparent and electrically conductive patterned elements, the patterned elements being arranged for receiving an electric potential to provide control over optical modulation in the light modulator.Claim 16. A substrate as in Claim 15, wherein the patterned elements are configured to interact with particles in an optical layer of the light modulator.Claim 17. A substrate as in any one of claims 15-16, wherein the patterned elements are individually electrically addressable.Claim 18. A substrate as in claim 17, wherein the patterned elements are applied on the first surface in a regular grid covering at least part of the first surface.Claim 19. A method of manufacturing a substrate as in any one of the preceding claims, comprising providing the substrate applying the driving electrode to a first surface of the substrate, applying the patterned elements to a surface of the substrate.Claim 20. A light modulator comprising a first substrate as in any one of claims 1-18, and a second substrate, an optical layer extending between the first and second substrate, optical properties of the light modulator being modifiable by applying an electric potential to at least the driving electrode.Claim 21 . A light modulator as in Claim 20, wherein the optical layer comprises charged particles, the patterned elements on the first substrate comprises transparent and electrically conductive patterned elements, the light modulator being configured to apply an electric potential to said conductive patterned elements causing the charged particles to align with the conductive patterned elements thus modulating the optical properties of the patterned elements.Claim 22. A light modulator as in any one of claims 20 and 21 , wherein the patterned elements are arranged to focus light impinging on the first substrate inside the optical layer.Claim 23. A method of calibrating a light modulator, as in any one of Claims 20-22, comprising providing the light modulator, obtaining from an image sensor viewing the light modulator information on distortion and / or transparency of the light modulator, deriving a control signal for controlling the light modulator in an operational phase.Claim 24. A method as in Claim 23, further comprising, obtaining from an orientation sensor applied to the light modulator information on an orientation of the light modulator.Claim 25. A method of controlling a light modulator, the light modulator being as in any one of Claims 20-22, comprising applying an electric potential to the driving electrode modulate an electro-magnetic field in the optical layer providing electrophoretic and / or dielectrophoretic of particles in the optical layer modulation of light passing through thesubstrates, wherein the phase, amplitude, and / or polarization of light passing through the substrates are further altered by the patterned elements applied to a surface of a substrate. Claim 26. A method of controlling a light modulator as in Claim 25, wherein the patterned elements comprise a phase change material having an optical distortion dependent on an external factor, for example, temperature, pressure, and / or electric field, and / or wherein the patterned elements are conductive having an optical distortion dependent on an external factor comprising an electric potential, the method comprising modulating the external factor to modulate the optical distortion.Claim 27. A transitory or non-transitory computer readable medium (1000) comprising data (1020) representing instructions, which when executed by a processor system, cause the processor system to perform any one of the methods according to claim 23- 26.

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