TV projection display using an amorphous-se-type Ruticon light valve

A display system is described which uses a new high sensitivity a(amorphous)-Se-type Ruticon and projects TV-like images from a conventional 9-in diagonal monitor onto a 40 × 40-in screen. The a-Se-type Ruticon requires 200-400-V dc bias, <15- erg/cm²input exposure, and it is capable of a factor of 10⁶light amplification in real-time operation. The device has an intrinsic image development time of 10²erg/cm². Typically, image erasure requires 4 ms. The readin optical system of the projector consists of the TV monitor, which is imaged with an lens onto the photoconductor side of the Ruticon. The system uses no mechanical shutters, and image erasure is accomplished with exposure from a flash tube. Readout is performed with a schlieren system using an projector lens, and a 360-W tungsten halogen lamp and a high gain screen. The readout optical system is capable of producing a maximum of 8.8 fc and 22:1 contrast ratio. Actual output brightness and contrast ratio in real-time operation are limited by the performance of the light valve. The image-storage characteristic of the Ruticon introduces brightness nonuniformity to the projected image.