In addition to the advantages of miniaturization, low cost, high integration and large array, MEMS technologies also endow the traditional optical elements with totally new functionalities, showing great potentials for such applications as imaging, optical communication, sensing, projection, and so on. In this paper, two kinds of MEMS-based spatial light modulators (SLMs) will be concerned, one named as the micro programmable blazed grating developed in our group, and another one, the digital micromirror device (DMD) commercialized by TI. In addition, the prototypes of multispectral and hyperspectral imaging systems utilizing them will also be demonstrated. The preliminary experimental results for imaging artificial targets seem encouraging.

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