We present a new method for selecting the optimal spatial light modula
tor operating curve on which to encode an ideal complex-valued filter
function. The method is an extension of the optimization procedure tha
t was used to derive the ideal complex-valued filter. To illustrate th
e method we consider the selection of a typical operating curve of a c
ommercially available LCD and use this operating curve to encode a fil
ter that was optimized for the task of fingerprint verification. We th
en extend the method to include the selection of the optimal operating
curve from a series of synthetic operating curves. (C) 1998 Optical S
ociety of America.