Ferroelectrics in optical memories and displays: A critical appraisal

Abstract

Ferroelectric materials can exhibit large electrooptic effects which can be made the bases of practical memory and display devices. Some of these are reviewed, with emphasis on those techniques which exploit optical sensing of polarization switching in matrix-addressed arrays or ferroelectric-photoconductor sandwich structures. Because of competition from other technologies, ferroelectrics are expected to be most successful in those applications which can take advantage of the unique combination of nonvolatility and large optical effect, but which do not require long-term stability against disturb signals. Examples of such applications are use of a ferroelectric shutter array as a page composer in a holographic memory, and use of a ferroelectric-photoconductor sandwich structure as a light valve in a slowscan graphics display.