Abstract

Spectrum analysis and correlation are the basic tools for any coherent optical processor. In both cases, it is acceptable to lose some resolution in the image source plane, e.g., by a factor of 2, to improve the shape of the PSF or the SNR in the Fourier plane. This can be done with classical techniques of linear filtering. It is possible to restore the space invariance, destroyed by the flatness defects in the light valve, that is necessary for a correlator. In Fourier spectrum analysis, coding techniques for the windows where the signal is written on the light valve enables customizing of the resolution independently on both axes. In addition to correction capabilities, techniques developed for signal or array antenna processing are shown to give a quantitative evaluation of the performance comparisons of different light valves.

© 1992 Optical Society of America