Optical processing

Abstract

A method of performing a DFT (discrete Fourier transform) or a DFT derived transform on data, comprising: providing spatially modulated light having spatial coherence, said spatially modulated light representing the data to be transformed; Fourier transforming said spatially modulated light, using an at least one optical element; and compensating for at least one of a scaling effect and a dispersion effect of said at least one optical element, using an at least one dispersive optical element.

1 . A method of performing a DFT (discrete Fourier transform) or a DFT derived transform on data, comprising: 
 providing spatially modulated light having spatial coherence, said spatially modulated light representing the data to be transformed;    Fourier transforming said spatially modulated light, using an at least one optical element; and    compensating for at least one of a scaling effect and a dispersion effect of said at least one optical element, using an at least one dispersive optical element.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said spatially modulated light is substantially temporally incoherent.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said spatially modulated light is non-monochromatic light.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said spatially modulated light is a multi-wavelength light including at least one wavelength gap.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 4 , wherein said data is mirrored and replicated in said modulated light.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 5 , wherein said at least one dispersive element comprises a zone plate.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 6 , wherein said at least one dispersive optical element comprises a zone plate array.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 7 , wherein said at least one optical element comprises a phase conjugate plate.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 7 , wherein said at least one optical element comprises a dispersive-lens.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 8 , wherein said transformed light encodes a DCT transform of said data.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 10 , comprising spatially modulating light from a light source using an SLM (spatial light modulator) to produce said spatially modulated light.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 11 , comprising detecting said transformed light using a detector array.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to any of claims  1 - 12 , wherein said transform is a block transform.  
   
   
       14 . Apparatus for performing a DFT (discrete Fourier transform) or a discrete Fourier derived transform, comprising: 
 at least one reflective element;    a detector array; and    a spatially modulated light source,    wherein said reflective element, said detector and said source are arranged so that light from said spatially modulated light source is reflected from said mirror to be focused on said array.    
   
   
       15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , comprising a lens to focus said light.  
   
   
       16 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said at least one reflective element comprises a curved mirror that focuses said light.  
   
   
       17 . Apparatus according to any of claims  14 - 16 , wherein said at least one reflective element is partially transparent and wherein said spatially modulated light source comprises a primary light source on an opposite side of said mirror from said detector array.  
   
   
       18 . Apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said spatially modulated light source comprises an SLM (spatial light modulator) between said at least one reflective element and said primary light source.  
   
   
       19 . Apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said detector array is integrated with a reflective SLM (spatial light modulator).  
   
   
       20 . Combined detector and spatial modulator apparatus, comprising: 
 a plurality of detector elements; and    a plurality of light modulating elements interspersed with said detector elements.    
   
   
       21 . Apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein all of said elements are formed on a single substrate.  
   
   
       22 . Apparatus according to  claim 20  or  claim 21 , wherein said light modulating elements are reflective.  
   
   
       23 . Apparatus for performing a DFT (discrete Fourier transform) or a discrete Fourier derived transform, comprising: 
 a detector array having formed therein at least one pinhole;    a light source on one side of said array;    at least one processing element; and    an SLM (spatial light modulator) on an opposite side of said array from said light source, wherein said array, source, processing element and SLM are so positioned and arranged that light from said light source passes through said pinhole and is modulated by said SLM before being processed by said processing element and impinging on said detector.    
   
   
       24 . Apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said SLM is reflective.  
   
   
       25 . A method of separating channels in a multi-channel optical system, comprising: 
 optically processing a plurality of adjacent channels using a common optical element to have overlapping output areas;    detecting a result of said processing on an image plane; and    deriving the processing of a single channel of said plurality of channels by subtracting an effect of the overlapping channels.    
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein said optical element comprises a lens.  
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein said plurality of adjacent channels comprises a set of 3×3 channels.  
   
   
       28 . A method according to any of claims  25 - 27 , comprising a plurality of spatially shifting elements associated with at least some of said channels, to spatially shift said detected result on said detector plane.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein said plurality of spatially shifting element comprise a plurality of prisms.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein a prism is not associated with a central channel in a spatial arrangement of said plurality of channels.