High-speed phase modulation using the RPC method with a digital micromirror-array device.

An improved implementation of the reverse phase contrast (RPC) method for rapid optical transformation of amplitude patterns into spatially similar phase patterns using a high-speed digital micromirror-array device (DMD) is presented. Aside from its fast response, the DMD also provides an electronically adjustable and inherently aligned input iris that simplifies the optimization of the RPC system. In the RPC optimization, we illustrate good agreement between experimentally obtained and theoretically predicted optimal iris size. Finally, we demonstrate the conversion of a binary amplitude grating encoded on the DMD into a binary (0-pi) phase grating.