Wire-grid polarizers in modern LCOS light-engine configurations

Abstract

— Wire-grid polarizers that have a very high transmission, reflection, polarized-light optical performance, and opto-mechanical packaging advantages compared to the older polarization technologies have been developed. The wire-grid polarizer operation principles and performance data are reviewed. The power of using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) modeling techniques to understand the interaction of the electromagnetic waves with the wires and improve the optical performance of the wire-grid polarizers and ultimately the light-engine optical performance is shown. The ability to ray trace through a complete digital projector light engine from light source to the screen, including the wire-grid polarizers, will be discussed. The main focus is to present the modern LCOS light-engine architectures that use the wire-grid polarizers. One-, two-, and three-panel LCOS light engines are covered.