Real time addition or subtraction of two images by vector wave interferometry

The present article reports a new optical method for real time addition or subtraction of two photographic images. Two transparencies which are placed in the two arms of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with two orthogonal polarizers are subsequently added or subtracted by rotating an analyser inserted in the output beam. A linear combination of the amplitudes of the two images can also be observed for different orientations of the transmission axis of the analyser. Some experimental results are presented.