Photoactivated birefringent liquid-crystal light valve for color symbology display

Aphotoactivated liquid-crystal projection display device that is based upon the field-effect mode of the liquid crystal has been built and tested. The device displays high-resolution dynamic color symbology by means of the optical birefringence of the liquid crystal. The colors that can be displayed simultaneously are white (with gray scale), blue, green, yellow, and magenta on a dark field. The imaging light power required to excite the device varies from 30-900 µW/cm 2 at 525 nm and the resolution obtained at an MTF of 50 percent is 40 lines/mm. The basic construction of the device is similar to the dynamic scattering photoactivated liquid-crystal light valve.