Rapid phase calibration of a spatial light modulator using novel phase masks and optimization of its efficiency using an iterative algorithm

ABSTRACT

We develop an improved phase calibration method of a reflective SLM using interferometry by employing novel phase masks. In the process, we definitively determine the actual maximum phase throw of our SLM which provides a recipe for users to verify supplier specifications. We generate optimised phase masks by using Iterative Fourier Transform Algorithm (IFTA) and compare their performance with global linear corrections in the look-up table (LUT) and find that the former perform with around 20$\mathrm{\%}$ better efficiency. Besides obtaining an array of 1D/2D spots having high uniformity (90$\mathrm{\%}$) using IFTA, our result exemplifies the use of iterative algorithms for improving efficiency of phase limited SLMs. Finally, our improved phase calibration method enables threefold faster phase measurements, and to the best of our knowledge, is the first endeavour directed towards enabling rapid phase characterisation of an SLM using interferometric measurements. We believe that it can have very useful applications in settings which may require fast phase calibrations as well as for real-time, multi-wavelength spectroscopic applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Spatial light modulators
• diffraction
• iterative algorithms

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India (CESSI) and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India. A.D.C. acknowledges support from the INSPIRE fellowship of the DST, Govt. of India.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Amar Deo Chandra http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8345-3125

Ayan Banerjee  http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2443-9125

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India (CESSI), which is funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India under the Frontier Areas of Science and Technology (FAST) scheme, and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India. (CESSI) , . A.D.C. acknowledges support from the INSPIRE fellowship of the DST, Govt. of India.