Chinese Optics, Volume. 18, Issue 1, 29(2025)

Research on pointing accuracy of liquid crystal phase array based on the variable period grating method

Zong-xin CAO1, Yi-long QIAN1, Yu-tong LIU1, Kun LI2, Zi-fan LI1, Jun-hao GONG1, Wu-sheng HU3, Da-wei ZHANG4, Rui-jin HONG4, Hong-min MAO1, Huan-jun LU1, Li-na FAN1、*, and Zhao-liang CAO1、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1Key Laboratory of Efficient Low-carbon Energy Conversion and Utilization of Jiangsu Provincial Higher Education Institutions, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
  • 2Suzhou Lumi Laser Technology Co., Ltd, Suzhou 215100, China
  • 3Basic Department, Jiyuan Vocational and Technical College, Jiyuan 459099, China
  • 4School of Optical-Electronical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
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    Liquid crystal optical phase array (LC OPA) is widely used in lidar, laser communication and laser weapons to scan and control laser beams. In order to optimize the design of LC OPA and high-precision laser beam control, we study the influence of working wavelength, number of pixels, pixel size, and effective grey levels on beam pointing accuracy. Firstly, according to the liquid crystal phase modulation principle , the effective scanning angle and diffraction efficiency of the period grating and the variable period grating methods are simulated and analyzed. Secondly, assuming the phase modulation to be equally divided by the driving voltage, the variation law of the pointing error with the working wavelength, the number of pixels, the pixel size, and the effective grey levels is simulated and analyzed. The multivariable universal formula is also derived. Thirdly, the pointing accuracy of the nonuniform phase modulation is simulated, analyzed, and compared with the results of the uniform phase modulation. Finally, the relationship between the effective grey levels and the pointing error is verified by experiments, and the validity of the empirical formula is preliminarily confirmed. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for the design of LC OPA.

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    Zong-xin CAO, Yi-long QIAN, Yu-tong LIU, Kun LI, Zi-fan LI, Jun-hao GONG, Wu-sheng HU, Da-wei ZHANG, Rui-jin HONG, Hong-min MAO, Huan-jun LU, Li-na FAN, Zhao-liang CAO. Research on pointing accuracy of liquid crystal phase array based on the variable period grating method[J]. Chinese Optics, 2025, 18(1): 29

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    Paper Information

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    Received: May. 27, 2024

    Accepted: Jul. 25, 2024

    Published Online: Mar. 14, 2025

    The Author Email:

    DOI:10.37188/CO.2024-0097

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