Light modulating deflectable membrane

Abstract

Abstract A LIGHT MODULATING DEFLECTABLE MEMBRANE USEFUL IN MODULATING LIGHT IS DESCRIBED. A DEFLECTABLE MEMBRANE IS APPLIED TO THE SURFACE OF A MICROCHANNEL PLATE (MCP) SO THAT THE MEMBRANE EXTENDS OVER THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE MCP, INCLUDING THE OUTPUT OPENINGS OF THE CHANNELS. THE MEMBRANE IS MDE REFLECTIVE BY THE APPLICATION OF AN ARRAY OF SYMMETRICALLY ARRANGED ELEMENTS WHICH ARE FORMED FROM A LIGHT REFLECTIVE MATERIAL. ELECTRICAL SEPARATION OF THE MEMBRANE AND MCP IS ACHIEVED BY A THIN INSULATING FILM WHICH IS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE MEMBRANE AND THE MCP. TH SURFACE OF THE MCP IS PLACED AT GROUND POTENTIAL, WHILE E MEMBRANE IS NORMALLY NEUTRAL. IN THIS CON DITION STRRUCTURE IS A PLANAR MIRROR. WHEN ELECTRONS ARE DIRECTED TO THE STRUCTURE, A CHARGE ACCUMULATES ON THE MEMBRANE AND FORMS A PATTERN DICTATED BY THE SIGNALS APPLIED TO THE ELECTRON GUN. ELECTROSTATIC ATTRACTION BETWEEN THE MCP SURFACE AND THE ACCUMULATED CHARGES CAUSES DEFLECTION OF THE MEMBRANE INTO THE MCP CHANNELS. ACCORDINGLY, LIGHT IMPINGING UPON THE MEMBRANE IS PHASED MODULATED BY DIMPLES IN THE MEMBRANE AS ELECTROSTATIC ATTRACTION OCCURS. BECAUSE THE DEFLECTION AT EACH DIMPLE IS DEPENDENT UPON THE CHARGE PLACED THERE BY THE ELECTRON GUN, AND BECAUSE THE CHARGE FROM THE ELECTRON GUN IS DEPENDENT UPON ITS ENERGIZING SIGNALS, IMAGE INFORMATIONS CONTAINED IN THE ELECTRONIC SIGNALS IS REPRODUCED IN THE PHASE OF THE LIGHT REFLECTED FROM THE DIMPLED MEMBRANE. HOLOGRAPHIC RECONSTRUCTIONS CAN BE PRODUCED BY ENERGIZING THE ELECTRON GUN WHITH ELECTRICAL SIGNALS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INTERFERENCE PATTERN OF A HOLOGRAM AND THEN ILLUMINATING THE DIMPLED SURFACE WITH COHERENT ENERGY.

Inventors

• 👤 George G Goetz

Bibliographic Details