Disclosed herein is a diffractive waveguide-spatial optical modulator. The
diffractive waveguide-spatial optical modulator includes a substrate
member, a plurality of reflecting members, and an actuation means. The
reflecting members are each formed in a plate shape, are arranged on the
substrate member at regular intervals to form a grating array, are
configured to form openings therebetween, and are provided with
reflecting surfaces formed on the opposite vertical surfaces of the
reflecting members and the bottoms of the openings. The actuation means
varies the interval between the reflecting members by actuating the
reflecting members. The openings between the reflecting members act as
wave guides when light is incident on the open sides thereof, and shift
the phase of the incident light and then reflect the incident light, so
that the reflected light can form diffracted light, when the interval is
varied by the reflecting members.