Abstract

In previous configurations of the optical disk-based joint transform correlator (ODJTC),¹,² the light waves emerging from the input and reference images each travel through a different arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. In a tandem joint transform correlator, the input and reference images share the common optical path. The input and reference planes are conjugate to match the quadratic phase factor. The magnification ratio of the two image planes is selected to match the scale ratio of the two functions. This common path configuration has a number of advantages, such as stability, high optical performance, simplicity, and versatility. There are three spatial light modulators (SLMs) incorporated in the ODJTC. The optical disk (OD) is used for the reference image. One liquid crystal television monitor (LCTV) for the input image, and another LCTV for the joint Fourier transform hologram. The OD-stored images can be either transmission or reflection type. The scanning of the OD-stored image can be achieved by translation of either the optical axis or the OD radially.

© 1991 Optical Society of America