Characterization of a THz SLM and its application for improved high resolution THz imaging

Spatial light modulators (SLM) can be used for many applications, including imaging and beam steering. With the emergence of THz SLMs being able to control thousands of pixels, the aforementioned applications become feasible for the THz region. The degree of control that can be exerted with a SLM and in turn its usefulness directly depends on the light pattern it creates. The resulting light patterns can be quite different from the intended light patterns, due to systematic and random non-uniformities, especially for large THz wavelengths. Here we present results on the performance of a Germanium based THz SLM. These results enable the efficient application of Compressed Sensing techniques in THz SLM imaging settings.