Abstract The method of reading out the type of hologram which results from the simultaneous recording on a recording medium surface of first and second components of coherent wave energy, wherein the first component consists of a beam traveling substantially in a given direction with respect to the surface and wherein the second component has been operated on by a particular complex wave modifying structure working on the principles of optics, such as an array of lenses lying in a plane parallel to the medium surface. Readout is accomplished with a readout beam of incident wave energy traveling substantially in the direction with respect to the medium surface which is opposite to the aforesaid given direction. Object information may be also recorded on the hologram by spatially modulating the first component with the object information, or object information may be obtained during readout by spatially modulating the readout beam with object information. In either case, high fidelity reconstruction is obtained, which depends both on the object information and the particular complex wave modifying structure utilized in making the hologram. In the case where the structure is a lens array, multi-imaging of the object information is obtained. Also, in the case where object information is obtained by spatially modulating a readout beam which has been diffused by a diffuser, speckle noise normally present in the reconstructed image may be eliminated by destroying the coherence of the wave energy for example by rotating the diffuser during readout.
A holographic method for obtaining a predetermined array of a given plurality of substantially identical spaced optical real representations of the same given object, comprising the steps of recording on an optical recording medium tHe holographic interference pattern which results from the simultaneous illumination of said medium by each of a group of mutually coherent components of the same coherent monochromatic light of a given wavelength, said group including a single component of said coherent light that is spatially modulated in accordance with said object and each of a predetermined array of a corresponding plurality of spaced other components of said coherent light equal in number to said given plurality which are arranged in said predetermined array, each respective one of said other components being spatially unmodulated and having a different angular orientation with respect to said single component at said medium, and reading out said recorded holographic interference pattern with a single readout beam which corresponds in angular orientation with respect to said medium to said single component of coherent light that was spatially modulated in accordance with said object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
A holographic method for obtaining a predetermined array of a given plurality of substantially identical spaced optical real representations of the same given object, comprising the steps of recording on an optical recording medium tHe holographic interference pattern which results from the simultaneous illumination of said medium by each of a group of mutually coherent components of the same coherent monochromatic light of a given wavelength, said group including a single component of said coherent light that is spatially modulated in accordance with said object and each of a predetermined array of a corresponding plurality of spaced other components of said coherent light equal in number to said given plurality which are arranged in said predetermined array, each respective one of said other components being spatially unmodulated and having a different angular orientation with respect to said single component at said medium, and reading out said recorded holographic interference pattern with a single readout beam which corresponds in angular orientation with respect to said medium to said single component of coherent light that was spatially modulated in accordance with said object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein said readout beam is coherent monochromatic light of said given wavelength, and wherein the angular orientation of said readout beam with respect to said medium is the conjugate of said selected certain single one of said other components.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said readout beam is unmodulated.