Ion controlled liquid crystal spatial light modulator

This work concerns the experimental study of potential possibility to use the ITO/5CB/Si/Al structures based on a low resistive silicon as liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC SLM). It is shown, that in such type of structures there are at least two charge processes causes the opposite influence on electrooptic reaction of structure. First process is connected with ion charge accumulation at silicon surface that induces the formation of depleted surface layer in silicon by means of a field effect. Second one is due to leakage current through Si/liquid crystal interface that decreases a photosensitivity of structure. Because of sufficient large ion currents achieved in such a type of structure as well as charge accumulation the possibility exists to form the local variable area of high ion concentration in liquid crystal layer that can play a role of a “quasi”-electrode which enables to modulate a surface conductivity of silicon. Ion control of photosensitivity as well as dynamic selection of input image by the structure has been demonstrated.