High Speed Light Valve System

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system includes a high power laser to form a high fluence laser beam. A 2D patternable light valve having a structure responsive to electron emission is positioned to receive and pattern light received from the high power laser.

1 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
 a first laser write beam with a first fluence;   a second laser beam having a second fluence greater than the first laser write beam; and   a 2D patternable light valve having a reflective structure patterned by the first laser write beam to reflect light from the second laser beam.   
     
     
         2 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a transparent conductive oxide deposited on a photoconductor. 
     
     
         3 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a photoconductor deposited on a reflective mirror. 
     
     
         4 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a reflective mirror deposited on an alignment layer and a linear electro-optic. 
     
     
         5 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve directs unpatterned light into at least one of a beam dump or switchyard system. 
     
     
         6 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
 an electron write beam;   a laser beam; and   a 2D patternable light valve having a reflective structure patterned by the electron write beam to reflect light from the laser beam.   
     
     
         7 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 6 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a secondary emission grid. 
     
     
         8 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 6 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a structured via layer that interacts with electron write beam. 
     
     
         9 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 6 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a reflective mirror deposited on an alignment layer and a linear electro-optic. 
     
     
         10 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 6 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve directs unpatterned light into at least one of a beam dump or switchyard system. 
     
     
         11 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
 an electron beam array;   a laser beam; and   a 2D patternable light valve having a reflective structure patterned by the electron beam array to reflect light from the laser beam.   
     
     
         12 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a plurality of rows and columns of addressable electron emitters. 
     
     
         13 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the electron beam array further comprises a plurality of electron beam array drivers positioned to receive electrons from electron emitters. 
     
     
         14 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a reflective mirror deposited on an alignment layer and a linear electro-optic. 
     
     
         15 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve directs unpatterned light into at least one of a beam dump or switchyard system. 
     
     
         16 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
 a self-emissive display;   a laser beam; and   a 2D patternable light valve having a reflective structure patterned by the self-emissive display to reflect light from the laser beam.   
     
     
         17 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 16 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a lenslet array positioned to direct light from the self-emissive display toward the reflective structure. 
     
     
         18 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 16 , wherein the self-emissive display comprises at least one of an OLED array, a LED array, or a microLED display. 
     
     
         19 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 16 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve further comprises a reflective mirror deposited on an alignment layer and a linear electro-optic. 
     
     
         20 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 16 , wherein the 2D patternable light valve directs unpatterned light into at least one of a beam dump or switchyard system.