Abstract

Digital programmable masks are an enabling technology for the development of digital optical computers or processors. We have constructed a digital optical processor based on a programmable liquid crystal display (LCD). To demonstrate its capabilities we chose to use the mask as a Hadamard image encoder. We have successfully encoded images of a laser diffraction pattern (spatially asymmetric) which reproduce the details displayed in a direct photographic image. The device uses the Jaquinot advantage and would have applications in the field of sensitive imagery, e.g., astronomy. The programmable mask is considered a prototype. The possibilities of other programmable mask technologies are compared with the LCD.

© 1986 Optical Society of America