Apparatus converting input value to control value, driving pixel based on control value, and modulating light

Abstract

In an apparatus for modulating light, an spatial light modulator includes a plurality of pixels and configured to modulate input light in response to a drive voltage for each of the pixels. An input value setting unit is configured to set an input value for the each of pixels. The input value is a digital value, an entire gray level of the digital value is “N”, and “N” is a natural number. A converting unit is configured to convert the input value to a control value. A control value is a digital value, an entire gray level of the control value is “M”, and “M” is a natural number greater than “N”. A driving unit is configured to convert the control value to a voltage value and drive the each of the pixels in response to the drive voltage corresponding to the voltage value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for modulating light, the apparatus comprising:
 a spatial light modulator including a plurality of pixels and configured to modulate input light in response to a drive voltage for each of the pixels;   an input value setting unit configured to set an input value for the each of pixels, wherein the input value is a digital value, an entire gray level of the digital value is “N”, and “N” is a natural number;   a converting unit configured to convert the input value to a control value, wherein the control value is a digital value, an entire gray level of the control value is “M”, and “M” is a natural number greater than “N”, and   a driving unit configured to convert the control value to a voltage value and drive the each of the pixels in response to the drive voltage corresponding to the voltage value.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the converting unit converts the input value to the control value by referring to reference data,
 wherein the reference data correlates the input value to the control value.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the spatial light modulator is a spatial light phase-modulator and the reference data corrects a non-linear characteristic of a voltage dependency phase-modulated characteristic of the each of the pixels so as to be a prescribed linear relationship. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the driving unit converts the control value to the voltage value such that the entire gray level of the control value “M” are converted within a prescribed working voltage range. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the each of the pixels is capable of being driven by voltage within an operating voltage range,
 wherein the prescribed working voltage range is within the operating voltage range.   
     
     
         6 . An method of modulating light, the method comprising:
 by a spatial light modulator including a plurality of pixels, modulating input light in response to a drive voltage for each of the pixels;   setting an input value for the each of pixels, wherein the input value is a digital value, an entire gray level of the digital value is “N”, and “N” is a natural number;   converting the input value to a control value, wherein the control value is a digital value, an entire gray level of the control value is “M”, and “M” is a natural number greater than “N”;   converting the control value to a voltage value; and   driving the each of the pixels in response to the drive voltage corresponding to the voltage value.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said converting the input value comprises converting the input value to the control value by referring to reference data; and
 wherein the reference data correlates the input value to the control value.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the spatial light modulator is a spatial light phase-modulator and the reference data corrects a non-linear characteristic of a voltage dependency phase-modulated characteristic of the each of the pixels so as to be a prescribed linear relationship. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said converting the control value comprises converting such that the entire gray level of the control value “M” are converted within a prescribed working voltage range. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the each of the pixels is capable of being driven by voltage within an operating voltage range,
 wherein the prescribed working voltage range is within the operating voltage range.