Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
Light-activated light valve (LALV) having a liquid crystal layer and means for applying a locally varying voltage across said liquid crystal layer, characterized in that the means for applying the voltage comprises: a silicon single crystal substrate (14) having one side in engagement with said liquid crystal layer; a plurality of junction photodiodes formed in a high resistivity layer (11) on the opposite side of said silicon substrate form, and in electrical contact with, said liquid crystal layer; and means (20) for applying an AC voltage to said photodiodes and across said liquid crystal layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
Light-activated light valve (LALV) having a liquid crystal layer and means for applying a locally varying voltage across said liquid crystal layer, characterized in that the means for applying the voltage comprises: a silicon single crystal substrate (14) having one side in engagement with said liquid crystal layer; a plurality of junction photodiodes formed in a high resistivity layer (11) on the opposite side of said silicon substrate form, and in electrical contact with, said liquid crystal layer; and means (20) for applying an AC voltage to said photodiodes and across said liquid crystal layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A LALV as in claim 1 further comprising glass plate means (50) for sealing said liquid crystal layer against said substrate, said glass plate means carrying transparent electrode means (40) for defining pel electrodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A LALV as in one of the claims 1 or 2 further comprising means for applying light patterns to said photodiodes, such as micro CRT or a fiberoptic faceplate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A LALV as in claim 1 or 2 further comprising means for applying radiation to said photodiodes, such as a GaAs CCD frame store.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A LALV as in claim 1 or 2 wherein said photodiodes are directly activated by an electron beam of a micro CRT.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A LALV as in one of the claims 1-5 further comprising means for operating said LALV in a storage mode, whereby erasure is performed with several cycles of a high frequency square wave applied in the absence of input light, followed by a steady DC voltage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A LALV as in one of the claims 1-5 further comprising means for operating said LALV in a video mode, whereby a square wave voltage is applied at a constant frequency which is half the video frame rate.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for constructing a light-activated light valve (LALV) in accordance with one of the claims 1-7, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon single crystal wafer as a substrate (14); forming a pair of p-n junction diodes in a high resistivity layer (11) on one side of said substrate; etching away said substrate using a self-limiting etching process to stop the etch at the boundary of two different conducting types; mounting said etched substrate on a glass plate (50) having transparent electrodes (40) formed thereon with a space between said electrodes and said substrate; filling the space with liquid crystal and sealing it therein; and connecting electrical leads to said diodes and said transparent electrodes for the application of an AC voltage across said liquid crystal.