Method of operating a ferroelectric liquid crystal spatial light modulator in non-DC balanced mode with decreased pixel sticking

摘要

A method of operating a ferroelectric liquid crystal-based spatial light modulator in a non-DC-Balanced mode to delay the onset of pixel sticking. The method includes providing a spatial light modulator including a transparent electrode, a pixellated electrode, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the transparent electrode and the pixellated electrode. The spatial light modulator is illuminated with a light source for an illumination time. A portion of the pixellated electrode is set to a high drive signal voltage level during a first portion of illumination time, and set to a low drive signal voltage level during a second portion of the illumination time. The transparent electrode is maintained at a first voltage potential between the high drive signal voltage level and the low drive signal voltage level during the first and second portions of illumination time. The spatial light modulator is then darkened for a darkened time. The transparent electrode voltage potential is raised to a positive spiking voltage exceeding the first voltage potential for a first portion of the darkened time. The transparent electrode voltage potential is then lowered to a negative spiking voltage below the first voltage potential for a second portion of the darkened time. The method according to the invention then repeats itself beginning with the step of illuminating the spatial light modulator.