Reconfigurable free-space optical interconnections with a phase-only liquid-crystal spatial light modulator

Abstract

A range of space-invariant and space-variant holographic optical interconnections are demonstrated with the aid of a nematic liquid-crystal panel that is capable of nearly continuous phase modulation. Results on fan-out, nearest-neighbor/next-nearest-neighbor interconnects, and 8-bit perfect shuffle are presented. The diffraction efficiencies are close to 15% of incident light in all cases.