Some examples of applications of phase modulators are: * A phase modulator within a laser resonator of a single-frequency laser can be used for wavelength tuning, or for active mode locking (FM mode locking) of a laser. * A phase modulation of a beam with moderate modulation strength is often used in laser frequency stabilization schemes, e.g. with the Pound-Drever-Hall method. * Various kinds of interferometers and setups for spectroscopic measurements require phase modulators, often with a periodic drive signal. * Some metrology applications require frequency combs, generated by sending a single-frequency beam into a phase modulator. In that case, the phase modulation often needs to be strong in order to obtain a large number of optical sidebands. * In data transmitters of optical fiber communication systems, phase modulators can be used for encoding the transmitted information. An example is the method of phase shift keying. Source: http://www.rp-photonics.com/phase_modulators.html

Yes; in electronics, the former is used to regulate voltage levels while modulators combine frequencies for the purpose of data transmission.

P. K. Rajan has written:

'Design of coupled mace filters for optical pattern recognition using practical spatial light modulators' -- subject(s): Optical pattern recognition, Light modulators

'Design of composite filter realizable on practical spatial light modulators'

YES.

Robert A. Myers has written:

'Quasi-static design of electro-optic modulators by the method of lines' -- subject(s): Light modulators, Electrooptics, Strip transmission lines