This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0027067 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Mar. 2, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a lighting modulating device and operating method thereof using a voltage-varied liquid crystal.
A hologram refers to a photograph taken with a technique of recording and reproducing information using the interference phenomenon of light caused by a light beam such as laser. A computer-generated hologram (CGH) can calculate phase information to create a desired image through various algorithms. When the calculated phase information is implemented in each pixel, a desired image can be created in space. For example, the phase information calculated according to the CGH algorithm can be implemented by a spatial light modulator (SLM) that controls the phase information of incident light per pixel.
Metamaterial is a material with artificial physical properties that do not exist in nature due to a geometric pattern designed using existing materials. Metasurface is a term derived from the metamaterial and may have various physical properties due to the structural characteristics of a unit structure composing the metasurface. The metasurface enables simultaneous control of multiple degrees of freedom of the light on a nano scale.
However, once the metasurface is fabricated, the properties of the metasurface do not change, so the optical characteristics are also fixed.
Embodiments provide an apparatus for creating a holographic image
Embodiments provide a light modulating device.
Embodiments provide a method for accessing a server using an light modulation device
According to an embodiment, an apparatus for creating a holographic image is provided. The apparatus include: a first polarizing plate; a metasurface configured to create a first holographic image by modulating a polarization state of a light beam passing through the first polarizing plate; a controller configured to supply voltage to a voltage-varied liquid crystal (LC); and the voltage-varied LC configured to create a second holographic image by modulating a polarization state of the first holographic image according to the voltage.
In an embodiment, the first polarizing plate may be a 0° polarizing plate that modulates a polarization state of a light beam to have both a right-circular polarization (RCP) component and a left circular polarization (LCP) component.
In an embodiment, the apparatus may further include a second polarizing plate configured to block the second holographic image according to a polarization state of the second holographic image.
In an embodiment, when the metasurface creates a plurality of first holographic images, the second polarizing plate may block at least one second holographic image among a plurality of second holographic images created through modulation of polarization states of the plurality of first holographic images or may not block the plurality of second holographic images.
In an embodiment, the metasurface may refract a light beam of which a polarization state is modulated into an area of interest and the second holographic image may be formed in the area of interest.
In an embodiment, the metasurface may include a plurality of meta-atoms arranged on a substrate, the arrangement of the plurality of meta-atoms may form a superpixel structure, and one superpixel in the superpixel structure may include a plurality of pixels.
In an embodiment, the plurality of pixels may include at least one meta-atom group and at least one meta-atom group may modulate a right-circular polarization (RCP) component of the light beam into a left-circular polarization (LCP) component or modulate the LCP component of the light beam into the RCP component.
In an embodiment, each of the plurality of pixels may modulate the light beam into a different polarization state.
In an embodiment, when a voltage having a predetermined magnitude is provided by the controller to the voltage-varied LC, the voltage-varied LC may modulate a polarization state of the first holographic image on a plane of a Poincaré sphere.
According to another embodiment, a light modulating device is provided. The light modulating device includes: a substrate configured to support a plurality of meta-atoms; a metasurface layer disposed on the substrate configured to include the plurality of meta-atoms; and a voltage-varied liquid crystal (LC) configured to modulate a polarization state of a holographic image generated by light beams passing through the plurality of meta-atoms.
In an embodiment, a plurality of superpixels in the metasurface layer may be composed of the plurality of meta-atoms, each of the plurality of superpixels may include a plurality of pixels, and the plurality of pixels may determine a polarization state of the light beam and phase information of the light beam, respectively.
In an embodiment, the plurality of pixels may include a first meta-atom group and/or a second meta-atom group, respectively, and a size of a meta-atom included in the first meta-atom group may be different from a size of a meta-atom included in the second meta-atom group.
In an embodiment, a first superpixel and a second superpixel of the plurality of superpixels may include a first pixel that equally modulates a polarization state of the light beam, respectively.
In an embodiment, a location of the first pixel in the first superpixel may be different from a location of the first pixel in the second superpixel.
In an embodiment, the first meta-atom group may modulate the polarization state of the light beam from left-circular polarization (LCP) to right-circular polarization (RCP) and the second meta-atom group may modulate the polarization state of the light beam from the RCP to the LCP.
In an embodiment, meta-atoms in the first meta-atom group may be rotated in clockwise CW direction with respect to neighboring meta-atoms and meta-atoms in the second meta-atom group may be rotated in counter-clockwise CCW direction with respect to neighboring meta-atoms.
In an embodiment, the polarization state of the holographic image may be determined based on a rotation angle of the plurality of meta-atoms and meta-atom groups included in the plurality of pixels.
In an embodiment, the plurality of pixels may include a first meta-atom group and a second meta-atom group and the polarization state may be determined based on a ratio of a number of the first meta-atom group and the second meta-atom group and phase difference between a phase of a light beam refracted by the first meta-atom group a phase of a light beam refracted by the second meta-atom group.
In an embodiment, the phase information may further be determined based on the rotation angle of a first meta-atom in the first meta-atom group or a first meta-atom in the second meta-atom group included in the plurality of pixels.
In an embodiment, the polarization state may correspond to spherical coordinates on a Poincaré sphere and the plurality of pixels may include the first meta-atom group and the second meta-atom group, and a first coordinate component of the coordinate may be determined based on a ratio of a number of the first meta-atom group and the second meta-atom group and a second coordinate component of the coordinate may be determined based on a phase difference between a phase of the light beam refracted by the first meta-atom group and a phases of the light beam refracted by the second meta-atom group.
In an embodiment, a plurality of superpixels in the metasurface layer may be composed of the plurality of meta-atoms, each of the plurality of superpixels may include a plurality of pixels, and a first pixel in a first superpixel of the plurality of superpixels and a second pixel in a second superpixel of the plurality of superpixels may modulate a polarization state of the light beam into a first polarization state.
In an embodiment, a value of a phase of a first light beam modulated by the first pixel may be different from a value of a phase of a second light beam modulated by the second pixel and the first light beam and the second light beam may form a single holographic image in an area of interest.
In an embodiment, the voltage-varied LC may modulate the polarization state of the holographic image generated by the light beam passing through the plurality of meta-atoms based on magnitude of a voltage supplied to the voltage-varied LC.
In an embodiment, a plurality of superpixels in the metasurface layer may be composed of the plurality of meta-atoms, each of the plurality of superpixels may include a plurality of pixels, and when a plurality of holographic images is formed by the plurality of pixels, the voltage-varied LC may modulate a polarization state of a first holographic image by a first pixel of the plurality of pixels and a polarization state of a second holographic image by a second pixel of the plurality of pixels differently from each other.
According to yet another embodiment, a method for accessing a server using an light modulation device is provided. The method includes: receiving a first random number key from the server after requesting access to the server; determining a voltage value corresponding to the first random number key based on a key-voltage conversion relation; obtaining a second random number key by supplying the voltage value to the light modulating device; and access the server using the second random key.
In an embodiment, the method may further include requesting the access to the server using a reflection image on the light modulating device.
In an embodiment, the reflection image may represent a one-dimensional code or two-dimensional code.
In an embodiment, the request of the access may include an identifier of the light modulating device.
In an embodiment, the method may further include receiving the key-voltage conversion relation from the server or updating the key-voltage conversion relation under control of the server.
In an embodiment, the obtaining a second random number key by supplying the voltage value to the light modulating device may include: sequentially supplying a list of the voltage values to the light modulating device when the list of voltage values corresponding to the first random number key is determined; and obtaining the second random number key from a holographic image sequentially output from the light modulating device according to the voltage value.
In an embodiment, the light modulating device may include: a substrate configured to support a plurality of meta-atoms; a metasurface layer disposed on the substrate configured to include the plurality of meta-atoms; and a voltage-varied liquid crystal (LC) configured to modulate a polarization state of a holographic image generated by light beams passing through the plurality of meta-atoms, and the plurality of meta-atoms may compose a plurality of superpixels in the metasurface layer, each of the plurality of superpixels may include a plurality of pixels, each pixel among the plurality of pixels may form a different hologram, and a polarization state of the different holographic images is modulated by the voltage-varied LC
The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
In the following detailed description, only certain embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, simply by way of illustration. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Further, in order to clearly describe the description in the drawing, parts not related to the description are omitted, and similar reference numerals are attached to similar parts throughout the specification.
In this specification, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprises”, and variations such as “including”, “containing”, or “composing”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.
In this specification, expressions described in singular can be interpreted as singular or plural unless explicit expressions such as “one” or “single” are used.
In this specification, “and/or” includes all combinations of each and at least one of the mentioned elements.
In this specification, terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second may be used to describe various configurations elements, but the elements are not limited by the terms. The terms may be only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element may be named a second element without departing from the right range of the present disclosure, and similarly, a second element may be named a first element.
In the flowchart described with reference to the drawings in this specification, the order of the operations may be changed, several operations may be merged, certain operations may be divided, and specific operations may not be performed.
Referring to
The pillar structure of the metasurface 100 may be a plurality of meta-atoms 120 and the plurality of meta-atoms 120 may be included in a layer of the metasurface. The metasurface 100 may display a reflection image (first image) by the array of the meta-atoms 120 in the metasurface 100 and create a penetrated holographic image (second image) by a light beam passing through the metasurface 100. That is, when the metasurface 100 scatters the incident light by resonance of the meta-atom 120 and has the reflection image, the meta-atom 120 may operate as a resonator (e.g., a Mie resonator). When the metasurface 100 modulates phases and/or a polarization state of a light beam incident on the metasurface 100, the meta-atom 120 may operate as a waveguide.
The substrate 110 of the metasurface 100 may be a transparent material that transmits light and may be a conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or a non-conductive material such as silicon oxide (SiO2). Since the substrate 110 may be made of the transparent material, the meta-atom 120 may be disposed between the substrate 110 and the voltage-varied LC 200 or the substrate 110 may be disposed on a surface opposite to the side in contact with the voltage-varied LC 200. When the meta-atom 120 is disposed between the substrate 110 and the voltage-varied LC 200, i.e., the substrate 110 is disposed on the surface in contact with the voltage-varied LC 200, the reflection image of the metasurface 100 by the meta-atom 120 may be observed through the substrate 110 of the transparent material. Alternatively, when the meta-atom 120 is disposed on the opposite side of the surface in which the substrate 110 contacts the voltage-varied LC 200, the holographic image created by the light beam passes through the meta-atom 120 may pass through the substrate 110 of the transparent material and reach the voltage-varied LC 200.
The meta-atom 120 disposed on one surface of the substrate 110 may be a rectangular pillar having width, length, and height. Structural color of the reflection image represented by the metasurface 100 can be determined according to the width and length of the meta-atom 120. The polarization state of the holographic image created by the metasurface 100 may be determined according to the rotation angle on the plane of the square pillar structure of the meta-atom 120. The meta-atom 120 may be pixelated on the substrate and the pixelation method of the meta-atom 120 is explained in detail below.
Referring to
A meta-atom 120 according to an embodiment may be formed of a dielectric material. For example, the meta-atom 120 may be made of silicon on the substrate 110. In order to minimize light absorption in a visible ray region and increase device efficiency (i.e., to improve color generation efficiency and hologram efficiency), various treatments can be applied to the surface of the substrate 110. For example, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) may be deposited on the surface of the substrate 110 by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) (e.g., PECVD). After the hydrogenated amorphous silicon is deposited on the surface of the substrate 110, a metasurface pattern can be generated by a lithography process (e.g., electron beam (E-beam) lithography).
The meta-atom 120 deposited as the hydrogenated amorphous silicon may exhibit a very low absorption coefficient at a specific wavelength (e.g., 532 nm wavelength) and may show improved device efficiency.
The meta-atom 120 according to another embodiment may be formed of a material that can be penetrated by the ultraviolet rays. For example, niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5), hafnium oxide (HfO2), silicon nitride (silicon nitride, SiNx), and the like may be used as the meta-atoms through which the ultraviolet rays penetrate. The silicon nitride may be formed on the substrate by optimizing the gas ratio of SiH4:N2.
The phase of the light beam incident on the metasurface 100 may be modulated as shown in Equation 1 below by the size of the meta-atom 120 and the rotation angle on the plane.
In equation 1, TL and TS may be complex penetration coefficients according to the size of meta-atom 120. When the length of the meta-atom 120 is longer than the width of the meta-atom 120, the TL is a complex penetration coefficient according to the length of the meta-atom 120 and the TS is a complex penetration coefficient according to the width of the meta-atom 120. Therefore, the ‘TL+TS/2’ and ‘TL−TS/2’ terms in the equation 1 may be coefficients determined according to the size of the meta-atom 120 and may be related to the propagation phase.
In equation 1, φ(x,y) may represent an in-plane rotation angle of the meta-atom 120. Therefore, the term e±i2φ(x,y) in the equation 1 may be related to a geometry phase determined by the rotation angle of the meta-atom 120.
In
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to the graph on the right of
Referring to the graph on the left of
The metasurface 100 according to an embodiment may include meta-atoms 120 of two different sizes, position 1 and position 2 in the graph of the left of
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The number of polarization states of the holographic image that the metasurface 100 represents may be determined according to the number k of pixels included in one superpixel according to an embodiment. For example, when each superpixel of the metasurface 100 includes k pixels, a holographic image by the light beam passing through the metasurface 100 may include k polarization states. Then, the pixels in each superpixel of the metasurface 100 may correspond to parts having different polarization states in the holographic image. That is, the polarization state of each part in the holographic image may be determined by each pixel in the metasurface 100.
Referring to
The number of pixels in a superpixel may determine the number of images with different polarization states. As shown in
The penetrated holographic image by the light beam passing through the metasurface according to an embodiment may be created in an area of interest. For example, 9 different penetrated holographic images having nine different polarization states may be displayed in different areas of interest. In order to create the metasurface according to an embodiment, it is necessary to determine the polarization state of light beam to be transmitted to the area of interest and to design a holographic image to be created by the light beam transmitted to the area of interest.
The polarization state of the light beam to be sent to the area of interest may be determined by one pixel. For example, when a superpixel includes 9 pixels, the superpixel may direct the light beam having nine different polarization states to the area of interest. The polarization state of the light beam passing through the metasurface may be expressed by a spherical coordinate system of a Poincaré sphere, as shown in
The position of a point on the spherical coordinate system can be determined by three coordinate information—radius, ψ, χ—. The radius may not be considered because they are all the same. If all ψ (rotation angle on the horizontal plane (S1-S2 plane)) and χ (rotation angle on the vertical plane (S1-S3 plane or S2-S3 plane) can be implemented by a metasurface, then all point positions on the spherical coordinate system can be determined and all polarization states can be modulated through the metasurface.
A pixel according to an embodiment may be designed as follows to implement arbitrary ψ, χ.
Each pixel may include a plurality of meta-atom groups. Referring to
According to an embodiment, the meta-atom in one pixel may send a light beam having an intended polarization state to an area of interest by refracting incident light.
Depending on the polarization state (RCP or LCP) of the refracted light beam, the meta-atom may be grouped into a clockwise (CW) group or a counterclockwise (CCW) group. According to an embodiment, each meta-atom group included in each pixel may modulate the incident light into different polarization states and a holographic image may be created by overlapping light beams modulated by each meta-atom group. For example, when a CW meta-atom group and b CCW meta-atom groups are included in one pixel, a hologram (whole or partial) having one polarization state may be created through overlapping of the light beam modulated by the a CW meta-atom group and the light beam modulated by the b CCW meta-atom group.
Referring to
In
The phase part of the complex ‘TL−TS/2’ term may be the part of the propagation phase α(x,y) that needs to be compensated before implementing the phase of the hologram. Considering the propagation phase term, the phases to be delayed by the rotation (distortion) of the two meta-atoms may be α1(x,y)±2φ(x,y) and α2(x,y)±2φ(x,y). Here, the + symbol represents right-circular polarization (RCP) and the − symbol represents left-circular polarization (LCP). The difference in the propagation phase of two meta-atoms with different sizes is α2(x,y)−α1(x,y), so the compensation rotation value is as shown in Equation 2 below.
Table 1 below shows the phase modulation size of the superpixel for which the difference in the propagation phase is compensated.
For example, when the length L1 of the first superpixel is 175 nm, the width W1 of the first superpixel is 65 nm, the length L2 of the second superpixel is 250 nm, and the width of the second superpixel W2 is 95 nm, since initial propagation phase α1(x,y) of the first superpixel is 1.731 and initial propagation phase α2(x, y) of the second superpixel is 3.757, the propagation phase difference α2(x, y)−α1(x, y) between the two superpixels is 2.026 rad (116°). Since the phase is delayed by twice the rotation angle of the meta-atom, the compensation phase value is 58° according to equation 2.
According to an embodiment, a polarization state modulated by each pixel may be represented on a Poincare sphere. Referring to
The arrow displayed next to each point may indicate the polarization state indicated by the corresponding point. For example, point I is an elliptical polarization state that rotates in the counterclockwise direction. If one of the pixels included in the superpixel corresponds to the point I, the pixel may modulate the polarization state of incident light beam into the elliptical polarization state. Alternatively, point VIII is a left circular polarization state that rotates in the clockwise direction. If one of the pixels included in the superpixel corresponds to the point VIII, the pixel may modulate the polarization state of incident light beam into the left circular polarization state.
The polarization state by one pixel may correspond to coordinates on the Poincaré sphere. Referring to
In equation 3, δ is a difference of the rotation angle between the corresponding meta-atoms in each meta-atom group included in one pixel. That is, δ may represent the difference of the rotation angle between the meta-atom in the CW meta-atom group and the meta-atom in the CCW meta-atom group.
For example, when the difference of the rotation angle between the first meta-atom in the CW meta-atom group and the first meta-atom in the CCW meta-atom group is δ, the difference of the rotation angle between the remaining corresponding meta-atoms are also δ. Alternatively, 2δ may be a phase difference between a phase of a light beam refracted by the CW meta-atom group and a phase of a light beam refracted by the CCW meta-atom group.
Referring to
In equation 5, k0 is the propagation constant of light and P is the period (or interval, see
Each meta-atom of the metasurface according to an embodiment may refract the wavefront of the light wave by delaying the phase of the light beam to a different value. The meta-atom may use ‘geometric phase’ as a phase modulation method. According to the geometric phase, when the LCP light beam is incident on the metasurface including the meta-atoms with relative rotation, one meta-atom group may delay the phase of the light beam component that has been converted to the RCP by twice the relative rotation angle. When the RCP light beam is incident, the phase of the light beam component converted to the LCP may be delayed (negative direction). Referring to
In equations 3 and 4, all polarization states defined by ψ and λ may be implemented through the intensity and phase difference of the RCP and the LCP. Equation 3 represents the result according to the phase difference between the light beams refracted in each meta-atom group and equation 4 represents the result according to the difference in intensity of the light beams refracted in each meta-atom group.
The difference in intensity between the RCP light beam and the LCP light beam may be determined based on the number of the CW groups and the CCW groups in one pixel. When there are four groups in one pixel, such as
Referring to
Referring to
Specifically, the RCP component of the light beam may be modulated to |L>ei2φ according to the in-plane rotation angle of the meta-atoms of the CCW meta-atom group. ei2φ term may represent the phase component added when the polarization state is modulated. In addition, the LCP component of the light beam may be modulated to the RCP light beam |R>e−i2(−φ+δ) according to the rotation angle difference δ between the meta-atoms of the CW meta-atom group and the meta-atoms of the CCW meta-atom group. Here, the e−i2(−φ+δ) term may represent the phase component added when the polarization state is modulated.
Referring to
The relative rotation angle Δφ between each meta-atom may be determined according to the number of meta-atoms 120 included in a meta-atom group. Referring to
The relative rotation angle of each meta-atom 120 in the CW meta-atom group is −Δφ, and therefore, the relative rotation direction of each meta-atom 120 in the CW meta-atom group is the clockwise direction. The relative rotation angle of each meta-atom 120 in the CCW meta-atom group is +Δφ, and therefore, the relative rotation direction of each meta-atom 120 in the CCW meta-atom group is the counterclockwise direction.
Meanwhile, in equation 4, αB represents the intensity of the RCP beam and αB. represents the intensity of the LCP beam. Here, when a light beam passes through the CW meta-atom group, it is modulated into the RCP light beam, so αB may be proportional to the number of CW meta-atom groups included in one pixel. Similarly, since a light beam passing through a CCW meta-atom group is modulated into the LCP light beam, αL may be proportional to the number of CCW meta-atom groups included in one pixel.
Referring to equation 4, coordinates χ on the Poincaré sphere may be determined according to the ratio of the number of CW meta-atom groups and the number of CCW meta-atom groups included in one pixel. Here, since only the CW meta-atom groups or only the CCW meta-atom groups may be included in one pixel, a and b in the number ratio a:b between meta-atom groups may be integers greater than or equal to 0.
For example, as shown in
For example, since the first pixel of the first superpixel (superpixel (1,1)) includes two CW meta-atom groups and two CCW meta-atom groups, according to equation 4, the coordinate 2χ is 0. That is, a polarization state of light beams modulated by a pixel including two CW meta-atom groups and two CCW meta-atom groups may be positioned on the S1-S2 plane of the Poincaré sphere. Referring to
Since only four CW meta-atom groups are included in the second pixel of the first superpixel (superpixel (1,2)), the coordinate 2χ is π/2 according to equation 4. That is, a polarization state modulated by a pixel including four CW meta-atom groups may be point VII of the Poincaré sphere. Referring to
The light beams of different polarization states transmitted to the area of interest may create the holographic images with the method below.
The number of polarization states of light beam propagated to the area of interest by one superpixel among a plurality of superpixels on the metasurface may be determined by the number of pixels in the superpixel. For example, when 9 pixels are included in a superpixel, the light beam with 9 different polarization states may be transmitted to the area of interest.
When there are n×m superpixels on the metasurface, the number of light beams with the first polarization state among the light beams reaching the area of interest is n×m. Similarly, the number of light beam with the second polarization state to the ninth polarization state is also n×m. For example, a pixel producing a light beam with a first polarization state may be called a first pixel.
When n×m light beams having the first polarization state propagated to the area of interest have different phases at the area of interest, the holographic image may be created at the area of interest. The phase information of n×m light beams with the first polarization state may be calculated through a CGH algorithm from the holographic image to be formed at the area of interest. As the CGH algorithm, the Gerchberg-Saxton (GS) algorithm may be used. The GS algorithm is an algorithm composed of Fourier transform and inverse Fourier transform and is a calculation method that approximates the propagation of light by the Fourier transforms. The calculated phase information may be determined in the form of an n×m matrix.
The rotation angle of the meta-atom in the meta-atom group of each pixel may be determined according to the phase information to be assigned to the light beam by each pixel. That is, the rotation angle of the meta-atom may determine the phase information of the light beam penetrating the metasurface. Referring to
As described above, each pixel in a superpixel according to an embodiment may determine the polarization state and phase information of the light beam. For example, the first pixel included in every n×m superpixel may form one holographic image in the area of interest, the polarization states of n×m light beam passing through the n×m first pixels are all the same (first polarization state), and the phase information may all be different. The phase information of n×m light beams having the first polarization state may be determined by the first pixel and n×m light beams having the first polarization state and having different phase information may form one holographic image at the area of interest.
The n×m light beams with the first polarization state may have the phase information in the form of n×m matrix determined by the CGH algorithm while passing through the metasurface. Thereafter, n×m light beams with first polarization state having the phase information determined by the CGH algorithm may form a holographic image having the first polarization state at the area of interest. The n×m number of first pixels may implement the calculated phase information through a geometric phase or Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phase. The geometric phase is a method for delaying the phase by twice the meta-atom rotation angle.
When one superpixel includes nine pixels, n×m first pixels included in each of n×m superpixels may create a holographic image with the first polarization state at the area of interest and n×m second pixels to ninth pixels included in each of n×m superpixels may create holographic images with second to ninth polarization states at the area of interest. The position of a plurality of pixels (e.g., first pixel to ninth pixel) may be randomly determined in each superpixel. When the position of the first pixel in one superpixel is (1,1), the position of the first pixel in the neighboring superpixel may be a position other than (1,1). That is, the position of the first pixel in one superpixel may be different from the position of the first pixel in another superpixel. The first pixel in one superpixel and the first pixel in another superpixel different from the one superpixel may be pixels that modulate the light beam into the same polarization state.
If the positions of pixels that modulate the light beam with the same polarization state are not randomly mixed in the superpixels (i.e., if the positions of pixels that identically modulate the polarization state of the light beam are the same in the superpixels), high-order diffraction may cause multiple holographic images at the area of interest.
Referring to
The metasurface 100 according to an embodiment may create the holographic image including a plurality of partial images having different polarization states. The polarization state of a partial image may be determined by the pixels in the same position in each superpixel. Alternatively, the polarization state of the partial image may be determined by the pixels that identically modulate the polarization state of the light beam.
Referring to
Referring to
A point on the S2-S3 plane on the Poincaré sphere is chosen because the voltage-varied liquid crystal (LC) 200 according to an embodiment modulates the polarization state on the S2-S3 plane, which will be described in detail below.
Referring to
Referring to
Each part of the holographic image output from the metasurface 100 according to an embodiment may have different polarization states and each part of the holographic image may be created according to the polarization state of each pixel in the superpixel. For example, when one pixel each included in the plurality of superpixels modulates the light beam into a 45° linearly polarized light, other pixels having the same phase information as the pixel among the pixels included in the plurality of superpixels may create a second segment with the polarization state of ket-D. This is because the polarization state of the second segment corresponds to point VI on the Poincaré sphere and the polarization direction of point VI on the Poincaré sphere is 45° linear polarization. That is, a pixel for creating one hologram in each of the plurality of superpixels may create a part having the same polarization state in the holographic image. The pixels that modulate the same polarization state in the plurality of superpixels may be randomly positioned in each superpixel. This is because high-order diffraction may occur, which causes unintended distortion on the holographic image, if the positions of pixels corresponding to the same polarization state are all the same in the superpixel. When the positions of the pixels that modulates the light beams of the same polarization state in the superpixel are randomly distributed, the effect of higher order diffraction may be reduced or removed from the holographic image.
Then, according to an embodiment, the holographic image created by the metasurface 100 may pass through the voltage-varied LC 200, and at this time, the voltage-varied LC 200 may modulate the polarization state of the holographic image generated by the metasurface 100 according to the magnitude of the voltage. The controller 300 may supply a voltage of the predetermined magnitude to the voltage-varied LC 200. The holographic image of which polarization state is modulated by the voltage-varied LC 200 and the controller 300 may be generated as a final holographic image after passing through the second polarizing plate 20.
The voltage-varied LC 200 according to an embodiment may modulate the polarization state of the holographic image on the S2-S3 plane of the Poincaré sphere according to the magnitude of the supplied voltage. For example, the voltage-varied LC 200 according to an embodiment may modulate the polarization state of a light beam corresponding to point VI on a Poincaré sphere to the polarization states corresponding to point I, point II, point III, point IV, point V, point VI, point VII, or point VIII. The light beam having the polarization state corresponding to point IX (i.e., polarization state of ket-H) may not be modulated by the voltage-varied LC 200.
The second polarizing plate 20 according to an embodiment may be a linear polarizing plate that allow the predetermined linearly polarized light to penetrate. For example, when the second polarizing plate 20 is a 45° polarizing plate in a vertical relationship with 135° linear polarization, a light beam having a polarization state of point V on the Poincaré sphere may be blocked by the second polarizing plate 20. Among the holographic images output from the voltage-varied LC 200, the light beam having the ket-A polarization state may be blocked by the second polarizing plate 20.
According to another embodiment, a plurality of second polarizing plates having different polarization states may be used to generate the holographic image. That is, by positioning the plurality of second polarizing plates 20 following the light modulating device (i.e., between the light modulating device and the screen at the area of interest), various types of holographic images may be generated.
The voltage-varied LC 200 according to an embodiment may include a transparent substrate 210, an alignment layer 220, and an LC layer 230 and may be connected to the controller 300 so that a voltage having predetermined magnitude is supplied to the voltage-varied LC 200 by the controller 300. The voltage-varied LC 200 may modulate the polarization state of the light beam incident on the voltage-varied LC 200 according to the magnitude of the voltage supplied to the voltage-varied LC 200 by the controller 300. Equation 6 below represents the phase delay value according to the effective refractive index of the voltage-varied LC 200.
In equation 6, τ is the phase difference between 0° linear polarization and 90° linear polarization and may represent the phase delay value. In equation 6, τ may be calculated through the integration of Δneff in the z direction, which may be expressed as a function of the variable z. Δneff may indicate an effective refractive index of the LC.
Δneff of a liquid crystal molecule with rotation angle θ on the z-axis may be calculated as in Equation 7 below from an ordinary refractive index no and an extraordinary refractive index ne of the liquid crystal which is a birefringent material.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to 12A, the polarization state of the holographic image passing through the voltage-varied LC 200 where no voltage is supplied (VAC=0V) may be modulated by π [rad] (result of 3.5 rotation) in the counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, the ket-L state may be modulated into the ket-R state and the ket-R state may be modulated into the ket-L state by the voltage-varied LC 200. Also, the ket-D state may be modulated into the ket-A state, and the ket-A state may be modulated into the ket-D state by the voltage-varied LC 200. Referring to
When the controller 300 supplies a voltage of 1.03V to the voltage-varied LC 200, the polarization state may be rotated by 2rπ[rad] (r is an integer greater than or equal to 0) in the counterclockwise direction. Therefore, the polarization state of the holographic image output from the metasurface 100 may not be changed. Referring to
When the controller 300 supplies a voltage of 1.18 V to the voltage-varied LC 200, the polarization state may rotate on the S2-S3 plane of the Poincaré sphere by 2rπ+3π/2 [rad] in the counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, the ket-L state may be modulated into the ket-A state, and the ket-R state may be modulated into the ket-D state by the voltage-varied LC 200. Also, the ket-D state may be modulated into the ket-L state, and the ket-A state may be modulated into the ket-R state by the voltage-varied LC 200. Referring to
When the controller 300 supplies a voltage of 1.28V to the voltage-varied LC 200, the polarization state may rotate on the S2-S3 plane of the Poincaré sphere by 2rπ+π [rad] in the counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, the ket-L state may be modulated into the ket-R state, and the ket-R state may be modulated into the ket-L state by the voltage-varied LC 200. Also, the ket-D state may be modulated into the ket-A state, and the ket-A state may be modulated into the ket-D state by the voltage-varied LC 200. Referring to
When the controller 300 supplies a voltage of 1.34V to the voltage-varied LC 200, the polarization state may rotate on the S2-S3 plane of the Poincaré sphere by 2rπ+ω [rad] in the counterclockwise direction. Here, w may not be a multiple of π/2. Therefore, each polarization state of the holographic image may be modulated to points other than points I to VIII on the S2-S3 plane of the Poincaré sphere shown in
When the controller 300 supplies a voltage of 1.38V to the voltage-varied LC 200, the polarization state may rotate on the S2-S3 plane of the Poincaré sphere by 2rπ+π/2 [rad] in the counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, the ket-L state may be modulated into the ket-D state and the ket-R state may be modulated into the ket-A state by the voltage-varied LC 200. Also, the ket-D state may be modulated into the ket-R state and the ket-A state may be modulated into the ket-L state by the voltage-varied LC 200. Referring to
The controller 300 according to another embodiment may individually control polarization directions of a plurality of second polarizing plates 20. For example, when the controller 300 supplies 1.28V to the voltage-varied LC 200, the controller 300 may control the polarization direction of one second polarizing plate 20 to 45° and block the LCP component of the polarization state using another second polarizing plate 20, so that a holographic image of the number 5 may be created.
For example, a user possessing a lighting modulation device may perform secure access to a server using a reflection image of the light modulating device and a holographic image output from the light modulating device.
Referring to
The reflection image of the light modulating device according to an embodiment may represent a one-dimensional code (e.g., linear barcode) or a two-dimensional code (e.g., quick response (QR) code), and the user performs image recognition by using a user terminal, it is possible to access the server access page linked by the reflection image of the light modulating device. When the reflection image of the light modulating device according to an embodiment is represented by a plurality of colors, the user recognizes a code of a specific color using the user terminal and based on the recognition result of the code, the user may request the access to the server using the user terminal. The user terminal may request the access to the server through a wired or wireless network. The color of the code to be recognized by the user to request the access may be determined in advance between the user terminal and the server.
The server receiving the access request from the user terminal may provide a first random number key to the user terminal (S120).
For example, the code of the reflection image on the light modulating device may include an identifier of the light modulating device that distinguishes each light modulating device, and when the user terminal requests access to the server using the code of the reflection image, the identifier of the light modulating device may be transmitted to the server.
The first random number key according to an embodiment may be an arbitrary number string or character determined by the server and may be used to determine a voltage value to be supplied to the voltage-varied LC 200 of the light modulating device.
The user terminal may determine a voltage value corresponding to the first random number key from the key-voltage conversion table (S130). The key-voltage conversion table may indicate a correspondence between the first random number key and the voltage value. Table 2 below is an example of the key-voltage conversion table showing the correspondence between key numbers and voltage values.
The server according to an embodiment may transmit a key-voltage conversion table to the user terminal in advance before receiving the access request from the user terminal. The key-voltage conversion table transmitted to the user terminal may be periodically/non-periodically updated by the server. For example, referring to table 1, when the server delivers ‘3145’ as the first random number key to the user terminal, the user terminal may determine ‘1.28, 1.03, 1.34, 1.38’ as the voltage value corresponding to the first random number key based on the key-voltage conversion table and sequentially supply the determined voltage values ‘1.28, 1.03, 1.34, 1.38’ to the voltage-varied LC 200.
The user terminal may obtain a second random number key from the light modulating device by supplying the determined voltage value to the voltage-varied LC 200 (S140). Referring to above
Thereafter, the user terminal may access the server using the second random number key determined by using the light modulation device (S150) and the server may determine whether to allow the access request of the user terminal by checking the second random number key (S160).
The server may store a pair of the first random number key and the second random number key corresponding to each light modulating device and grant the access request by matching the first random number key transmitted to the user who has the light modulating device with a specific identifier and the second random number key received from the user corresponding to the first random number key. In the example described above, before transmitting the first random number key ‘3145’ to the user terminal, the server may know in advance that the second random number key ‘6089’ will be output by the light modulating device when voltage values 1.28V, 1.03V, 1.34V, and 1.38V corresponding to the first random number key ‘3145’ are applied to the light modulating device. Accordingly, the server may determine whether to approve the access request of the user by confirming whether the second random number key corresponding to the first random number key is received from the user terminal after transmitting the first random number key to the user terminal.
As described above, it is possible to achieve a larger information storage capacity and provide an access method with a high level of security by using the light modulation device with a high degree of freedom in terms of adjustable light characteristics. In addition, by being combined with various IoT devices, it is possible to implement a security device that cannot be counterfeited. Alternatively, when the light modulating device described above is coupled to a plastic card or banknote, the light modulating device may also be used to prevent counterfeiting of the plastic card or banknote through printed electronics technology.
The user terminal according to an embodiment may be implemented as a computer system, for example, a computer-readable medium. Referring to
Accordingly, the embodiment may be implemented as a method implemented in the computer, or as a non-transitory computer-readable medium in which computer executable instructions are stored. In an embodiment, when executed by a processor, the computer-readable instruction may perform the method according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure.
The communication device 220 may transmit or receive a wired signal or a wireless signal.
On the contrary, the embodiments are not implemented only by the apparatuses and/or methods described so far, but may be implemented through a program realizing the function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiment of the present disclosure or a recording medium on which the program is recorded. Such an embodiment can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art from the description of the embodiments described above. Specifically, methods (e.g., network management methods, data transmission methods, transmission schedule generation methods, etc.) according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of program instructions that may be executed through various computer means, and be recorded in the computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like, alone or in combination. The program instructions to be recorded on the computer-readable medium may be those specially designed or constructed for the embodiments of the present disclosure or may be known and available to those of ordinary skill in the computer software arts. The computer-readable recording medium may include a hardware device configured to store and execute program instructions. For example, the computer-readable recording medium can be any type of storage media such as magnetic media like hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media like CD-ROMs, DVDs, magneto-optical media like floptical disks, and ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like.
Program instructions may include machine language code such as those produced by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that may be executed by a computer via an interpreter, or the like.
The components described in the example embodiments may be implemented by hardware components including, for example, at least one digital signal processor (DSP), a processor, a controller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic element, such as an FPGA, other electronic devices, or combinations thereof. At least some of the functions or the processes described in the example embodiments may be implemented by software, and the software may be recorded on a recording medium. The components, the functions, and the processes described in the example embodiments may be implemented by a combination of hardware and software. The method according to example embodiments may be embodied as a program that is executable by a computer, and may be implemented as various recording media such as a magnetic storage medium, an optical reading medium, and a digital storage medium.
Various techniques described herein may be implemented as digital electronic circuitry, or as computer hardware, firmware, software, or combinations thereof. The techniques may be implemented as a computer program product, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine-readable storage device (for example, a computer-readable medium) or in a propagated signal for processing by, or to control an operation of a data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers.
A computer program(s) may be written in any form of a programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and may be deployed in any form including a stand-alone program or a module, a component, a subroutine, or other units suitable for use in a computing environment.
A computer program may be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.
Processors suitable for execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random-access memory or both. Elements of a computer may include at least one processor to execute instructions and one or more memory devices to store instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include or be coupled to receive data from, transfer data to, or perform both on one or more mass storage devices to store data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks.
Examples of information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include semiconductor memory devices, for example, magnetic media such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape, optical media such as a compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM), a digital video disk (DVD), etc. and magneto-optical media such as a floptical disk, and a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a flash memory, an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), and an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) and any other known computer readable medium.
A processor and a memory may be supplemented by, or integrated into, a special purpose logic circuit. The processor may run an operating system 08 and one or more software applications that run on the OS. The processor device also may access, store, manipulate, process, and create data in response to execution of the software. For purpose of simplicity, the description of a processor device is used as singular; however, one skilled in the art will be appreciated that a processor device may include multiple processing elements and/or multiple types of processing elements.
For example, a processor device may include multiple processors or a processor and a controller. In addition, different processing configurations are possible, such as parallel processors. Also, non-transitory computer-readable media may be any available media that may be accessed by a computer, and may include both computer storage media and transmission media.
The present specification includes details of a number of specific implements, but it should be understood that the details do not limit any invention or what is claimable in the specification but rather describe features of the specific example embodiment.
Features described in the specification in the context of individual example embodiments may be implemented as a combination in a single example embodiment. In contrast, various features described in the specification in the context of a single example embodiment may be implemented in multiple example embodiments individually or in an appropriate sub-combination.
Furthermore, the features may operate in a specific combination and may be initially described as claimed in the combination, but one or more features may be excluded from the claimed combination in some cases, and the claimed combination may be changed into a sub-combination or a modification of a sub-combination.
Similarly, even though operations are described in a specific order on the drawings, it should not be understood as the operations needing to be performed in the specific order or in sequence to obtain desired results or as all the operations needing to be performed. In a specific case, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. In addition, it should not be understood as requiring a separation of various apparatus components in the above described example embodiments in all example embodiments, and it should be understood that the above-described program components and apparatuses may be incorporated into a single software product or may be packaged in multiple software products.
While this disclosure has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical example embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.
On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2022-0027067 | Mar 2022 | KR | national |