Controlling the grey level capacity of a bistable FLC spatial light modulator

Abstract

Due to their memory, non-linear response and threshold, as well as their grey level capacity, ferroelectric liquid crystal spatial light modulators are useful devices for optical implementations of neural networks. We propose a phenomenological explanation of the roles, the different driving parameters like the voltage, the current and the length of the addressing pulse play in achieving and controlling these grey levels. Finally we discuss a possible optical implementation of a self organizing memory based on the model of the Kohonen map, using optically addressed SLMs.