Elastomer based diffractive optical modulator

• IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, special issue on Optical Microsystems

In this paper, device structure and measurements on a diffractive optical modulator fabricated using a elastomer layer is reported. The device structure is fairly simple with an interdigitated bottom electrode, an elastomer layer and a top electrode. Application of voltage to one of the bottom interdigitated electrode causes an electrostrictive force, which in turn corrugates the elastomer layer. This method is used to create a configurable sinusoidal reflective phase grating that enables an analog control of the diffracted intensity. The major advantages of this method are the ease of fabrication and the simple device structure.

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citation

Uma, S. ; Matusiak, R. ; Hecht, D. L. ; Shrader, E. Elastomer based diffractive optical modulator. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics. 2004 May/June; 10 (3); 435-439.

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