Abstract

A filter calculating algorithm is presented. The algorithm produces filters that are analytically optimal. That is, we show that no filter exceeds this algorithm's performance for the stated metric, noise and signal models, and SLM limitations. It is suitable to a wide variety of performance metrics, including signal-to-noise ratio and correlation sharpness. It explicitly accommodates colored additive input noise of known power spectral density and also detector plane additive noise that may be intensity dependent. The modulator on which the filter is expressed must be known, though (aside from the restriction that it be finite) it is entirely arbitrary. The SLM may be complex, coupled, phase-only, amplitude-only, binary, ternary, or otherwise discrete. It need not be spatially uniform in its action. Finite contrast ratio is accommodated. The algorithm requires a search over no more than two parameters, and conditions that may restrict the search are also presented.

© 1992 Optical Society of America