PIV ANALYSIS USING AN OPTICALLY-ADDRESSED SPATIAL LIGHT-MODULATOR

An optical processor for generating a two-dimensional squared a autoco rrelation function is proposed in this paper. The incoherent-to-cohere nt conversion is performed by an optically-addressed spatial light mod ulator. The processor is meant to be used as an integrated part of a s ystem for post processing Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) photographs of fluid flows. The optical processor seems to be able to present a f ast and comparable alternative to the numerical processors, which typi cally are used for this purpose. This work demonstrates that the princ iple is very promising.