Highly sensitive liquid crystal optically addressed spatial light modulator for infrared-to-visible image up-conversion

Asi Solodar, Hadar Manis‐Levy, Gabby Sarusi, Ibrahim Abdulhalim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

A liquid crystal optically addressed spatial light modulator based on an InGaAs photodiode array operating at low light levels is investigated in the short wavelength infrared (SWIR) spectral band to serve as a SWIR-to-visible imaging upconversion device. It consists of InGaAs/InP heterojunction photodetectors array sandwiched with a nematic LC layer. The photodiode array is composed of a 640 × 512 InGaAs∕Inp heterojunctions, grown on InP substrate with a 15 μm pitch. Full up-converted visible images in stills and video modes were demonstrated with SWIR light intensities as low as 70 nW∕cm 2 or less than pW/pixel. The influence of operation frequency on the performance of the device was found theoretically and experimentally to be crucial for a proper operation of the device. The optimum sensitivity and contrast of the device was found at a frequency around 70 Hz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such a high performance upconversion device is presented and that actual visible images are obtained.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1269-1272
Number of pages4
JournalOptics Letters
Volume44
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Mar 2019

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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