Seurat Technologies has developed an optically-addressed light valve, or spatial light modulator, that processes high repetition rate, and high-power laser beams for


primary use in Metal Additive Manufacturing [1]. The patented Area Printing® technology, that uses the light valve as a beam shaping programmable mask, delivers


patterned laser pulses to a bed of metal powder that locally melts and bonds to form fully dense parts for a wide range of industrial applications and metal systems. 





Area Printing enables dimensional and economic scaling of additive manufacturing, while maintaining high spatial resolution, capable of printing features


beyond reach of conventional additive manufacturing at speed, with greater efficiency and minimal spatter defects.





In this presentation, we address the optoelectronic properties of Seurat’s semiconductor-based light valve technology along with those of the liquid crystals that


control the dynamic beam shaping. Specifically, we focus on the contrast achieved between dark and bright fields, the resulting spatial resolution of the beam, and the


temporal response as it relates to the semiconductor photoexcited carrier dynamics within the electrical circuit structure of the light valve.





Finally, we address the limitations and challenges met with the use of industrial lasers approaching 100kW of peak average power. Parasitic absorption imposes


device-level constraints that we characterize temporally and spatially via multi-physics finite element analysis of the thermomechanical response when the device is exposed


to heating from the laser. Key focus is placed on thermal management challenging the performance capabilities in light valve technology for Area Printing.





[1] https://www.seurat.com/area-printing