Source encoding for partially coherent optical processing

A relation between spatial coherence function and source encoding intensity transmittance function is presented. Since the spatial coherence is depending upon the information processing operation, a strictly broad spatial coherence function may not be required for the processing. The advantage of the source encoding is to relax the constraints of strict coherence requirement, so that the processing operation can be carried out with an extended incoherent source. Emphasis of the source encodings and experimental demonstrations are given. The constraint of temperal coherence requirement is also discussed.     

Review of coherent optical processing

The use of laser light to perform linear and nonlinear computational operations is reviewed. On linear operations, we discuss schemes involving gratings, computer holograms and optical feedback for addition, subtraction, differentiation, generalized orthogonal transformations and feedback operations. The important methods for implementing the spatial filters and for real-time processing are then briefly described. On nonlinear operations, we discuss technique involving ϕ-modulation, half-tone-screen processes, and nonlinear optical elements with and without coherent feedback for logarithm and thresholding operations. The state-of-the-art of optical processing research and its application areas are then considered at the end. The research was supported by the National Aeronautic and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation. A portion of this paper was presented at the Third Conference on the Laser, April 22–25, 1975, in New York. The Conference was sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences.     

The use of feedback in optical information processing

The use of feedback techniques in optical information processing systems is growing rapidly. This review describes methods by which feedback has been produced, and discusses their applications to processing problems. The methods are classified according to the coherence length of the light source used, ranging from long (single axial mode lasers) through medium (multimode lasers) to short (incoherent light sources). Particular attention is paid to their potential for complex feedback, and for nonlinear and space-variant processing. The temporal characteristics of the systems and the means by which gain can be introduced into the feedback loop are considered. A current bibliography is given.     

Noise performance of a white-light optical signal processor

A study of the effects of spatially and partially coherent illumination on the noise performance of an optical processor is presented here. Noise arising from defects in the object plane and the Fourier plane are considered separately. Two important types of noise are analyzed in detail: (a) amplitude noise and (b) ramdom phase noise. The results illustrate that the effects of the object phase noise can be reduced when the requirements on spatial coherence are relaxed. Also, the noise at the Fourier plane can be effectively eliminated when a spatially incoherent light source is employed.     

Digital optical computing

The motivation for a digital optical computer is based on the shortcomings inherent in of electronic computers. Optics has solutions to offer especially in interconnects. Devices based on nonlinear optical effects are still in the early stages of their development. Hence at an intermediate stage hybrid opto-electronic computers might emerge. Their architectures should make use of the special attributes of optics. A specific approach called symbolic substitution logic is outlined.     

Holography with guided optical waves

This paper deals with “waveguide holograms” recorded in a layer of storage material covering a planar dielectric waveguide. Reference and read-out waves are guided modes of the waveguide. Their field in the storage medium is evanescent. A theory of the diffraction efficiencies of these waveguide holograms is presented fors-polarized wavefields. To calculate the hologram structure the attenuation of the reference wave caused by absorption in the light-sensitive storage material is taken into account. Analytical expressions for the local and the overall diffraction efficiencies and for the intensity profiles of the diffracted fields are derived. The dependence of these quantities on experimental parameters (the waveguide thickness, the mode numbers of the reference and read-out waves, and the angle of incidence of the plane object wave) is presented graphically, i.e., by computer plots. Grating couplers for integrated optics can be made by waveguide holography. We consider this application to be interesting because incoupling efficiencies for Gaussian beams of up to 96% can be achieved theoretically.     

Experimental investigation of the optical signal, gain, signal-to-noise ratio and information content characteristics of X-ray phosphor screens

In this study, the quality of medical images produced by X-ray phosphor screens is described by a model based on the light generation and emission properties of the phosphor material. Combined detector gain (CDG), modulation transfer function (MTF), detective quantum efficiency (DQE) and information capacity (IC) of the screens were expressed and evaluated as functions of emitted optical fluence, incident X-ray fluence and emitted optical spectrum. Phosphor screens with coating thickness ranging from 21 mg/cm² to 137 mg/cm² were prepared in the laboratory and were irradiated by X-rays with X-ray voltages from 50 to 140 kVp. Experimental data were obtained in both transmission and reflection modes of measurement (light emission from both screen sides). Results showed that most image quality parameters (CDG, MTF, DQE) depend strongly on phosphor screen thickness. CDG and DQE also depend on X-ray tube voltage. However, the total quantity of information (IC), which depends on both the incident X-ray fluence and phosphor material type, was not found to be significantly affected by phosphor thickness. Received: 7 September 2000 / Revised version: 8 January 2001 / Published online: 27 April 2001     

Imaging properties and applications of scanning optical microscopes

This review paper is concerned with the imaging properties and major uses of scanning optical microscopes. It is shown that the confocal scanning microscope exhibits a form of super-resolution and that the instrument in general has great application in nonlinear microscopy and the inspection of electronic devices.     

Mechanism of speckle reduction in laser-microscope images using a rotating optical fiber

The reduction mechanism of speckles appearing in laser-microscope images is studied theoretically and experimentally when an object is illuminated by laser light through a rotating multimode optical fiber. The principle of the speckle reduction is based on independent addition of microscope images with boiling-like speckles as a result of the rotational motion of the optical fiber used for illumination. Especially, the speckle reduction is evaluated from first-order statistics of the speckle intensity in which its saturation effect is taken into consideration.     

A coherent optical feedback system for optical information processing

A unique optical feedback system for coherent optical data processing is described. With the introduction of feedback, the well-known transfer function for feedback systems is obtained in two dimensions. Operational details of the optical feedback system are given. Experimental results of system applications in image restoration, contrast control and analog computation are presented. Work was performed while the authors were at Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa. Portions of this work have been presented in the 1973 Fall Meeting of the Optical Society of America, Rochester, New York. Work supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautic and Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center.     

部分相干成像的光学传递函数

本文给出在准单色光照明下,部分相干和非相干成像光学传递函数新的计算方法。从基尔霍夫衍射积分出发,引进准波前像差,并在菲涅尔近似下给出点像振幅分布,对照明光源不作匹配限制,计算公式简明,准相干度（ 不同于传统的相干度） 容易计算。利用分片多项式插值计算准波前像差,从而可实现变形成像ＯＴＦ 的计算     

Photorefractive mutually pumped phase conjugation with partially coherent beams

We investigate the mutually pumped phase-conjugation process in photorefractive media with partially coherent pump beams. We consider the effects of transmission, reflection, and 2k-reflection gratings as well as the depletion of both pump beams. The theoretical results can be employed to qualitatively explain the experimental observations.     

Measurements of velocity using a lenticular grating

A new method is reported for measuring the velocity using a lenticular grating. The principle of the method is theoretically described on the basis of transmission-grating velocimetry. The theoretical studies are performed to estimate the deflection and collection characteristics of the light passing through the lenticular grating. The method is used to measure the velocity of a rotating random pattern. The experimental results show the usefulness of the method for measurements of the velocity.     

Real-time recognition of microscopic phase objects

A method of image enhancement and real-time input of 3-D, microscopic phase objects into a coherent optical pattern recognition system is described. The method consists of directing a low-power laser beam into a microscope objective to produce a real, magnified, coherent image of the specimen under test. The image plane is followed by two successive Fourier transform (FT) planes. In the first FT plane, low and high frequency spatial filters, one of which is photographically produced, are used as pre-processing filters to enhance the image quality. The enhanced signal is imaged from the first FT plane to the second FT plane which contains a matched spatial filter used for specimen identification. The system does not require an expensive incoherent-to-coherent light transducer and in addition, is capable of utilizing both phase and amplitude information from 3-D objects. Examples of results are given.     

Comparison of vander lugt and joint transform correlators

A generalized optical correlator is used to analyze the performances of the Vander Lugt and the joint transform architectures. Noise performance and the effects caused by the differences between the input and the reference functions are analyzed. It is found that the modulation index of the joint transform filter decreases due to the presence of noise as well as the differences between the input and the reference functions. However, it is found that, in general, the joint transform correlator would perform better than the Vander Lugt correlator and certainly has the advantage for real-time implementation.     

Beugungstheoretische Behandlung eines Differentialinterferometers für ausgedehnte Phasenobjekte

The diffraction theory of image construction has been used, in the case of a differential interferometer employing a Wollaston prism, to derive the position of the interference fringes in dependence upon the phase object and the prism position. This procedure is not only more correct, but proves also to be simpler than the corresponding geometric-optical treatment. An example is presented in which the fringe shift resulting from a symmetrical gas flow has been used to evaluate the gradient of the optical path perpendicular to the rotational axis of symmetry.

     

Resolving power of gratings in planar multimode waveguides

A multimode planar grating spectrograph focuses, into the same point, all modes with equal propagation constants. Guided waves with equal propagation constants may have different free-space wavelengths within a bandwidth determined by the numerical aperture of this structure. The consequences for the spectral resolution of a multimode planar grating are quantitatively discussed.     

带有像散的非旋转对称高分辨电子显微镜的部分相干传递函数

在旋转对称高分辨电子显微系统部分相干传递函数理论的基础上进一步分析和计算了带有像散的非旋转对称系统的部分相干传递函数,并与带有像散的非旋转对称系统的相干传递函数以及旋转对称系统的部分相干传递函数作了比较.