PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL-TECHNOLOGY-BASED COHERENT OPTICAL MULTICHANNEL CORRELATORS

Our purpose is to compare two architectures when implemented with ferr oelectric liquid-crystal technology: the conventional VanderLugt and j oint transform correlators. The architectures are compared in the sing le-correlation and multichannel cases. The analysis covers both theore tical aspects and practical considerations regarding implementation. S pecifications for a multichannel correlator design, including consider ations of both spatial light modulators and architecture configuration s, are discussed. Experimental results are presented for both architec tures. Finally, the benefit resulting from extension to multichannel o peration is discussed in terms of both multiplexing and algorithmic ca pabilities. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.