Abstract

A synthesized photochromic compound—pyrrylfulgide—is prepared as a thin film doped in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) matrix. Under irradiation by UV light, the film converts from the bleached state into a colored state that has a maximum absorption at $635\mathrm{nm}$ and is thermally stable at room temperature. When the colored state is irradiated by a linearly polarized $650\mathrm{nm}$ laser, the film returns to the bleached state; photoinduced anisotropy is produced during this process. Application of optical image processing methods using the photoinduced anisotropy of the pyrrylfulgide/PMMA film is described. Examples in non-Fourier optical image processing, such as contrast reversal and image subtraction and summation, as well as in Fourier optical image processing, such as low-pass filtering and edge enhancement, are presented.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

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