Spatial light modulator

18/08/2020

Hamamatsu has succeeded in developing a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (SLM), having what it claims is the world’s highest pulse laser power capability up to 400 GW/cm2, by utilising its advanced thin-film and circuit designing technologies. This new SLM for high-power industrial pulsed laser systems will contribute to achieving high-throughput, high-precision laser processing for processing resistant materials such as lightweight and high-strength carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRPs).

This work is partially supported by the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), the Cross-Ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) and the ‘Photonics and Quantum Technology for Society 5.0’ project (Funding agency: the National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST)).

The aim of this work is to prove and demonstrate innovative manufacturing and fabrication techniques using a cyber-physical system (CPS) that combines cyberspace (virtual space) and physical space (real space) to a highly advanced degree. The SLM can freely control the irradiation pattern of lasers and is viewed as an essential device for new manufacturing and fabrication techniques that utilise artificial intelligence (AI), such as CPS-type laser processing systems.

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