Chapter 3 Introduction; Overview; Principle - Liquid Crystal On Silicon (Lcos); Parts List - Accessories - THORLABS EXULUS-HD2 User Manual

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EXULUS Spatial Light Modulators

Chapter 3 Introduction

This manual provides instruction on how to install and operate a Thorlabs
EXULUS-HD2, EXULUS-HD2HP, EXULUS-HD3, EXULUS-HD3HP, or EXULUS-
HD4 2D Spatial Light Modulator (SLM). To ensure correct usage, read this manual
carefully before operating your EXULUS
3.1.

Overview

Thorlabs' EXULUS
(LCoS) technology. It offers individually addressable pixels of phase shift or
retardance and provides large phase stroke and excellent phase stability.
Therefore, the EXULUS
including optical trapping, beam steering and shaping, femtosecond pulse
shaping, adaptive optics, imaging applications, holography, interferometry, laser
processing, lithography, and others.
Principle – Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS)
3.2.
The Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) technology is a reflective retarder panel
utilizing a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a top transparent and
conductive ITO layer, and the reflective electrode layer on the bottom. On the
bottom layer, pixels are arranged as individual addressable aluminum electrodes.
Together with the ITO layer on top, an electric field is built by applying a voltage
between the two layers. The liquid crystal modules align according to the direction
and strength of the electric field. Since liquid crystal is a birefringent material, the
alignment of the liquid crystal modules in turn determines the retardance or phase
shift of each pixel.
Parts List – Accessories
3.3.
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The EXULUS SLM is thoroughly tested and carefully packed at the factory. The
complete package varies according to the EXULUS model. Standard SLMs
(EXULUS-HD2, HD3, and HD4) consist of a main unit with a built-in SLM panel
and relevant accessories. The High-Power SLMs (EXULUS-HD2HP and HD3HP)
contains a main unit, an adapter board, an SLM head, and additional accessories.
The adapter board and SLM head are pre-installed on the main unit.
Rev F, December 7, 2020
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SLM is a reflective SLM based on Liquid Crystal on Silicon
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SLM is ideal for many beam manipulation applications
Figure 1 Schematic of Liquid Crystal on Silicon
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Chapter 3: Introduction
Page 5