Abstract: An optical element is disclosed. The optical element comprises: a first phase shift mask formed on a first optical material and constituted to generate a positive phase shift, and a second phase shift mask formed on a second optical material and constituted to generate a negative phase shift, wherein the phase shift masks are arranged serially on an optical axis, and wherein a refractive index of at least one of the first and second optical materials varies with the temperature at a rate of at least 50×10?6 per degree Kelvin.

Abstract: An optical element is disclosed. The optical element comprises: a first phase shift mask formed on a first optical material and constituted to generate a positive phase shift, and a second phase shift mask formed on a second optical material and constituted to generate a negative phase shift, wherein the phase shift masks are arranged serially on an optical axis, and wherein a refractive index of at least one of the first and second optical materials varies with the temperature at a rate of at least 50×10?6 per degree Kelvin.

Abstract: An optical element is disclosed. The optical element comprises: a first phase shift mask formed on a first optical material and constituted to generate a positive phase shift, and a second phase shift mask formed on a second optical material and constituted to generate a negative phase shift, wherein the phase shift masks are arranged serially on an optical axis, and wherein a refractive index of at least one of the first and second optical materials varies with the temperature at a rate of at least 50×10?6 per degree Kelvin.

Abstract: An optical element is disclosed. The optical element comprises: a first phase shift mask formed on a first optical material and constituted to generate a positive phase shift, and a second phase shift mask formed on a second optical material and constituted to generate a negative phase shift, wherein the phase shift masks are arranged serially on an optical axis, and wherein a refractive index of at least one of the first and second optical materials varies with the temperature at a rate of at least 50×10?6 per degree Kelvin.

Abstract: A method of extracting data from an identifiable monochromatic pattern. The method comprises separating a polychromatic optical signal, received from an object having identifiable monochromatic pattern, into a plurality of wavelength components, separately capturing each of the wavelength components, reconstructing a plurality of images each from a different wavelength component, detecting the identifiable monochromatic pattern in one or more of the images, and extracting data associated with or encoded by the detected identifiable monochromatic pattern. The images have different depths of field.

Abstract: A method of extracting data from an identifiable monochromatic pattern. The method comprises separating a polychromatic optical signal, received from an object having identifiable monochromatic pattern, into a plurality of wavelength components, separately capturing each of the wavelength components, reconstructing a plurality of images each from a different wavelength component, detecting the identifiable monochromatic pattern in one or more of the images, and extracting data associated with or encoded by the detected identifiable monochromatic pattern. The images have different depths of field.

Abstract: A method of extracting data from an identifiable monochromatic pattern. The method comprises separating a polychromatic optical signal, received from an object having identifiable monochromatic pattern, into a plurality of wavelength components, separately capturing each of the wavelength components, reconstructing a plurality of images each from a different wavelength component, detecting the identifiable monochromatic pattern in one or more of the images, and extracting data associated with or encoded by the detected identifiable monochromatic pattern. The images have different depths of field.

Abstract: A method for designing a mask, the method includes: choosing or receiving a desired contrast value; and determining sizes, locations and shapes of multiple rotationally symmetric regions of a mask such as to define a modulation transfer function that is characterized by a substantially uniform response over a spatial frequency range; wherein the uniform response is substantially indifferent to an orientation of features of the object and to a location of the object within a deep depth-of-field region. An optical imaging system that includes: a mask that includes multiple rotationally regions; wherein the multiple rotationally symmetric regions are shaped and positioned such as to define a modulation transfer function that is characterized by a substantially uniform response over a spatial frequency range, wherein the uniform response is substantially indifferent to an orientation of features of the object and to a location of the object within a deep depth-of-field region.

Abstract: A method of optical element manufacturing, the method may include selecting a range of a misfocus parameter ?; and designing the optical element to include multiple regions, wherein the optical transfer function (OTF) of the optical element allows, for the range of the misfocus parameter .psi., transmission of images with a contrast of at least 10% for all normalized spatial frequencies up to 50% of a theoretical maximum that is attainable with a full aperture in an in-focus condition.

Abstract: A method of extracting data from an identifiable monochromatic pattern. The method comprises separating a polychromatic optical signal, received from an object having identifiable monochromatic pattern, into a plurality of wavelength components, separately capturing each of the wavelength components, reconstructing a plurality of images each from a different wavelength component, detecting the identifiable monochromatic pattern in one or more of the images, and extracting data associated with or encoded by the detected identifiable monochromatic pattern. The images have different depths of field.

Abstract: A method of optical element manufacturing, the method may include selecting a range of a misfocus parameter ?; and designing the optical element to comprise multiple regions, wherein the optical transfer function (OTF) of the optical element allows, for the range of the misfocus parameter ?, transmission of images with a contrast of at least 10% for all normalized spatial frequencies up to 50% of a theoretical maximum that is attainable with a full aperture in an in-focus condition.

Abstract: A method for designing a mask, the method includes: choosing or receiving a desired contrast value; and determining sizes, locations and shapes of multiple rotationally symmetric regions of a mask such as to define a modulation transfer function that is characterized by a substantially uniform response over a spatial frequency range; wherein the uniform response is substantially indifferent to an orientation of features of the object and to a location of the object within a deep depth-of-field region. An optical imaging system that includes: a mask that includes multiple rotationally regions; wherein the multiple rotationally symmetric regions are shaped and positioned such as to define a modulation transfer function that is characterized by a substantially uniform response over a spatial frequency range, wherein the uniform response is substantially indifferent to an orientation of features of the object and to a location of the object within a deep depth-of-field region.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element is disclosed. The optical element comprises a grating having a periodic linear structure in at least one direction. The linear structure is characterized by non-uniform duty cycle selected to ensure non-uniform diffraction efficiency.

Abstract: A method of image compression, comprising: providing image-data encoding light; transforming said light from an image space to a transform space utilizing an optical component; and converting said transformed light into electrical signals, which electrical signals represent a compressed representation of said image data.

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: A mask for enhancing the depth of focus of an optical imaging system is designed by optimizing an optical property (transmittance or reflectance) of the mask relative to the intensity distribution in the system's image plane. Preferably, a desired PSF intensity is selected, a desired misfocus parameter range is selected, and the optical property is adjusted to minimize a measure of the departure of the system's PSF intensity, as computed from the mask's optical property, from the desired PSF intensity, over the entire misfocus parameter range. Most preferably, the desired PSF intensity is selected as the inverse Fourier transform of a desired OTF. Preferably, the mask is fabricated as a DOE.

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 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: An optical signal processor for transforming a first vector into a second vector comprising: a plurality of linear light sources each of which provides light having an intensity responsive to a different component of the first vector, a spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of modulation zones each of which zones receives light from substantially only one of the light sources and transmits light in proportion to a transmittance that characterizes the modulation zone; and at least one light detector for each component of the second vector that receives light transmitted from a plurality of modulation zones, each of which is illuminated by light from a different light source, and generates a signal responsive to the received light that represents a component of the second vector.