Abstract: An imaging system includes an extended depth of field (EDOF) optical system, a sensor on a sensor substrate, and a securing mechanism adapted to secure the EDOF optical system directly to the sensor substrate.

Abstract: A method of laterally displacing at least a component of a light beam, the method comprising: a) directing the beam to enter a block of birefringent material at a first location, and at least the component of the beam to pass through the block on a first path to an exit location; and b) changing a polarization of the component of the beam after it has passed through the block, and directing it to pass back through the block from the previous exit location to a next exit location, following a next path oriented at changed angle due to its changed polarization state, at least one time; the component of the beam thereby being laterally displaced from the first location, when it exits the block a last time.

Abstract: A method of laterally displacing at least a component of a light beam, the method comprising: a) directing the beam to enter a block of birefringent material at a first location, and at least the component of the beam to pass through the block on a first path to an exit location; and b) changing a polarization of the component of the beam after it has passed through the block, and directing it to pass back through the block from the previous exit location to a next exit location, following a next path oriented at changed angle due to its changed polarization state, at least one time; the component of the beam thereby being laterally displaced from the first location, when it exits the block a last time.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an optical system for projecting an object onto a detector, and a phase element between an entrance pupil of the optical system and the detector, the phase element adapted to provide a more uniform modulation transfer function over a range of focus than the optical system alone, wherein an effective focal length of light output from the phase element is a function of an angular component on which the light is incident on the phase element.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an extended depth of field (EDOF) optical system, a sensor on a sensor substrate, and a securing mechanism adapted to secure the EDOF optical system directly to the sensor substrate.

Abstract: A method of optical data processing, comprising: providing a first data set to be optically transformed using a transform; combining a reference data set with said first data set to generate coherent light, encoding a combined data set; optically and coherently transforming said light that encodes the combined data set, into coherent light that encodes a transformed combined data set; obtaining a transformed reference data set by determining the effect said optical transform has on light encoding said reference data set; and extracting a second data set that represents a transform of said first data set, from an intensity portion of light encoding said transformed combined data set, using said transformed reference data set to extract a phase of at least one element of said second data set.

Abstract: A method of optical data processing, comprising: providing a first data set to be optically transformed using a transform; combining a reference data set with said first data set to generate coherent light, encoding a combined data set; optically and coherently transforming said light that encodes the combined data set, into coherent light that encodes a transformed combined data set; obtaining a transformed reference data set by determining the effect said optical transform has on light encoding said reference data set; and extracting a second data set that represents a transform of said first data set, from an intensity portion of light encoding said transformed combined data set, using said transformed reference data set to extract a phase of at least one element of said second data set.

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.

Abstract: A polarizing beam-splitter apparatus, comprising: an input port through which an input beam of lights is provided; a first polarizing beam splitter that receives the input beam and splits the beam into at least a first and second beam, said first beam having substantially a first desired polarization state and said second beam having a second polarization state orthogonal to said first polarization state but possibly admixed with the first polarization state; and an optical system that receives the second beam and provides a third beam having the second polarization state and a smaller admixture of the second polarization state than the second beam.

Abstract: A shearing generator comprising: an input light source; an image generator that generates two images of the input light source at an output plane, the image generator comprising a beam splitter that splits light from the input source into at least one pair of interfering light waves at an output thereof, and defines different optical paths for the light propagation of the light waves, said optical paths including at least one phase shifting element that provides for a different phase shift for the two paths.

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.

Abstract: A shearing generator comprising: an input light source; an image generator that generates two images of the input light source at an output plane, the image generator comprising a beam splitter that splits light from the input source into at least one pair of interfering light waves at an output thereof, and defines different optical paths for the light propagation of the light waves, said optical paths including at least one phase shifting element that provides for a different phase shift for the two paths.

Abstract: This application describes an optical switching method for selectively directing an input beam to at least one of two output channels. The input beam impinges on a polarizing beam splitting surface, splitting the input beam into two beam components of different polarizations propagating along different optical paths. These beam components then pass through a controllable polarization rotating medium which selectively affects the polarization of each of the beam components. The beam components are then directed back onto the polarizing beam splitting surface again, producing at least one output beam which propagates toward at least one selected output channel, depending on the state of the medium. The polarizing beam splitting surface is fabricated on a block of the controllable polarization rotating medium, and the input beam also passes through the medium before being split into two beam components by the polarizing beam splitting surface.

Abstract: A method for encoding a data symbol vector in an OFDM symbol and decoding an OFDM symbol to recover a data symbol vector encoded therein, the method comprising: receiving a vector of values; generating at least one input spatial light pattern responsive to the vector; generating for each input spatial light pattern an output spatial light pattern that is an interference pattern produced by light from the input spatial light pattern; sensing the output spatial light pattern at discrete spatial points and generating signals responsive to the sensed light; and if the vector represents a data symbol vector, using the signals to encode the data symbol vector in an OFDM signal and if the vector represents an OFDM symbol, using the signals to recover a data symbol vector encoded in the OFDM symbol.

Abstract: A shearing generator comprising: an input light source; an image generator that generates two images of the input light source at an output plane, the image generator comprising a beam splitter that splits light from the input source into at least one pair of interfering light waves at an output thereof, and defines different optical paths for the light propagation of the light waves, said optical paths including at least one phase shifting element that provides for a different phase shift for the two paths.

Abstract: A method and device are presented for carrying out all-optical switching by directing an input beam towards at least one selected output channel. The input beam interacts with a polarizing beam splitting surface, and is therefore split into two beam components of different polarizations. The two input beam components passes through a controllable polarization rotating medium capable of affecting the polarizations of the beam components, when in an operative mode of the medium, and allowing the beam components propagation with unchanged polarizations, when in an inoperative mode of the medium. The beam components passed through said medium are directed towards said polarizing beam splitting surface to thereby produce at least one output beam propagating towards the at least one selected output channel.