Performance enhancement of a joint transform correlator using the directionality of a spatial light modulator

Abstract

We observe that conventional electrically addressable spatial light modulators have different transfer functions along the fast (horizontal) and the slow (vertical) directions. We then propose to use the directionality of a spatial light modulator to increase the performance of a joint transform correlator. Our experimental results show that input space-bandwidth product of a joint transform correlator can be significantly increased by recording a hologram so that interference fringes run along the fast (horizontal) direction of a spatial light modulator. (C) 1999 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. [S0091-3286(99)00412-2].