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.