Abstract: The instant invention is an optical imaging system that produces images of acceptable quality of objects which are located at a wide variety of distances from the optical imaging system. A preferred embodiment of the optical imaging system includes an object (10), an auxiliary lens (12), a composite phase marsk (14) and a detector (18) arranged along an optical axis (20). Light from the object (10) is focused by the auxiliary lens (12) in tandem with the composite phase mark (14), producing an image (16) which is incident th detector (18).

Abstract: Apparatus for optically applying a transform to data, comprising: a spatially modulated light source, that generates a spatially modulated light beam; a diffractive element that replicates said light beam; and a lens that applies a Fourier transform to said replicated light beam.

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: An optical method and system are presented utilizing a 2×2 broadcast switch device for performing various logical operations, such as neural network, logical gates, as well as performing analog to-digital conversion, and interferometric testing. The switch device is of the kind performing polarization coding of light passing therethrough.

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.

Abstract: A super-resolving imaging apparatus employs diffractive optical elements placed on the imaging lens. This element, and the use of a modified Scheimpflug arrangement allow the conversion of degrees of freedom in one axis of a field of view to a larger degree of freedom in another axis in order to obtain a high resolution image with a wide depth of focus and large field of view. Replicas created by the diffractive elements are mutually shifted by subpixel amounts, and are combined using a Gabor transform, which is facilitated by a spatial mask placed over the detector array. The apparatus is suitable for performing distance estimation on an object within the field of view.

Abstract: A method and system for synthesizing a desired light beam including calculating a two-dimensional light filter for an optical element, the two-dimensional light filter being such that the optical element produces under free space propagation, in response to illumination thereof, a three-dimensional light distribution that approximates the light distribution of the desired light beam, and illuminating the optical element.

Abstract: A method for encoding zero-order phase-only holograms, and the holograms so encoded. The amplitude and phase of each point of a discrete mathematical transform, such as a Fourier transform, of an image to be encoded, are encoded as regions of a corresponding pixel of a transparent filter, with suitably selected fractional areas and optical path lengths. The various optical path lengths may be created by manipulating the filter's index of refraction, or by manipulating the thickness of the filter, preferably by etching. Various encoding schemes are presented, appropriate to etching systems with low lateral resolution, to etching systems with high lateral resolution but depth resolution limited to a discrete number of depths, and to etching systems with limited resolution both laterally and in depth.

Abstract: A phase-only filter for approximating a given optical transfer function for monochromatic incoherent light. The filter is designed by solving an integral equation for a phase function, and imposing, on a transparent plate, an optical path length for the incoherent radiation equal, in radians, to the phase function modulo 2.pi. plus an overall constant.

Abstract: Scanner optics, usable for example in a bar code reader, generate a multitude of Gaussian beams derived from a common light source to produce a beam with extended working range. In the preferred embodiment, a 360 degree fan of Gaussian beams is generated by passing a laser beam through at least one diffractive element, e.g., computer generated holographic (CGH) plate, computed to perform the transformation of the illuminating beam into the desired output beam. The beam thus produced, having a small diameter over a large longitudinal distance, is useful for long range scanning.

Abstract: A bar code scanner is disclosed employing a laser source and scan mirror for generating a light beam for scanning a bar code symbol or the like. The working range for distance between the scanner and the symbol is extended by placing an optical element in the path between the laser source and the scan mirror. This optical element may be a figure of rotation such as an axicon. A slit may be positioned downstream of the axicon to block the characteristic concentric rings produced in the beam in areas perpendicular to the scan line.

Abstract: Apparatus for image subtraction in order to extract non-common information from two light images comprises a TV camera tube including a photosensitive coating on its inner face and a grating on its outer face spaced from the photosensitive coating by the thickness of the tube; projectors for projecting the two light images simultaneously, from slightly different angles, onto the photosensitive coating via the grating such that the shadow of the grating interlaces the two light images on the photosensitive coating; and a scanner for electronically scanning the interlaced images on the photosensitive coating to produce a video output, and for processing same to select only the image information which is non-common to the two optical images.