Multiple imaging phase-encoded optical elements written as programmable spatial light modulators

Abstract

We report a multiple imaging capability of replicated binary Fresnel phase-encoded lenses written on programmable spatial light modulators (SLMs). These lenses produce a large number (up to 9 x 9) of equally intense replica images from either an external object or from a pattern which is encoded onto the SLM along with the phase-encoded lens. Theoretical details and experimental results using the magnetooptic spatial light modulator are presented.

Generation of accelerating Airy and accelerating parabolic beams using phase-only patterns

“…This produces an extremely simple system, where everything (including the Fourier spectral mask, the Fresnel diffraction, and the Fourier transform lens) can be encoded onto a single programmable optical element. However, there are restrictions on the focal length that can be successfully encoded due to the pixel structure of the LCD [12]. As the focal length of the Fresnel lens decreases, the distance between the phase maxima decreases.…”

Scanning mechanism based on a programmable liquid crystal display

“…Moreover this task can be performed at video rate. The use of SLMs to implement diffractive optical elements has been reported to be a very useful tool in real time optical processing [6][7][8][9].…”

“…In particular lenses generated with this device belong to the category of diffractive Fresnel lenses. Some authors [6,7] have synthesized phase encoded Fresnel lenses onto a programmable SLM, nevertheless the sampling of the original function by the pixelated structure of the SLM causes the appearance of multiple lenses when the sampling rate is lower than the Nyquist frequency. This effect leads to the presence of secondary maxima in the focal plane with the consequent loss of efficiency in the principal focus.…”

Fourier optics heuristics for diffraction at infinity by an index discontinuity in a one-dimensional slab

“…As technologies to fabricate pixels on various kinds of substrates develop, pixelated components present themselves as approximants to continuous display or wavefront shaping components. The visibility of the discontinuities between pixels is a parasitic effect that should be minimized [1][2][3]. Specifically, we would like to quantitatively account for the parasitic shine effects that appear when one observes a pixelated component from a distance and that result from diffraction at the pixel boundaries.…”