Abstract

A rotational shearing interferometer was used to demonstrate a spatially incoherent joint transform correlator. This system has the ability to perform a correlation between two complex functions (images) borne on spatially incoherent illumination, without the use of holographic filters. The output intensity distribution of the interferometer includes a term that is related to a Fourier spectrum of the input image. We digitally processed this output intensity, removed its dc level, and squared the remaining function. The resultant joint spectrum was displayed on a spatial light modulator, located at the input plane of a conventional coherent 2-f reconstruction system. We demonstrate various cases of transversely and axially separated auto and cross correlations using this system.

© 1992 Optical Society of America