Programmable apodizer in incoherent imaging systems using a digital micromirror device

Abstract

We propose a programmable apodizer using a digital micromirror device and the total-internal-reflection prism subsystem for incoherent imaging systems. It is shown that the proposed programmable apodizer can extend the depth of focus with the specific shaped aperture generated by the digital micromirror device. With a scale ratio of K <= 0.05, one can achieve almost the same level of imaging quality as provided by the conventional annular apodizer, where K represents the ratio between the integer multiple of the micromirror's square pixel size and the diameter of the effective aperture stop. (C) 2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. [DOI: 10.1117/1.3314306]