ADJUSTABLE LIQUID CRYSTAL BLAZED GRATING DEFLECTOR

摘要

A system of beam steering using electrical operation. A first system provides a grating (104) and a liquid crystal material (128). When the liquid crystal is unenergized, there is a mismatch between the liquid crystal and the grating, causing the grating to diffract the light (130) in a specified direction. The liquid crystal is energized to match its index of refraction to the grating. Then, the light is not diffracted by the grating, and hence travels in a different direction than it would when the liquid crystal was not energized. Another, finer system, forms electrically generated gratings using a liquid crystal material.