All-optical binary phase encoding decoding for image transmission through apertures smaller than the Rayleigh limit

We describe a novel scheme for all-optical image encoding/decoding, for tra nsmission via a serial link. In our method, the pixels of the coherent inpu t image are encoded using orthogonal binary phase codes and the sum of the resultant optical fields transmitted via the link. At the receiving end, th e field is divided spatially into output pixels, and each output pixel has impressed upon it the conjugate of one of the input pixel phase codes. The output pixel fields are then combined interferometrically with a reference beam and the resultant intensity fluctuations averaged over the phase code sequence, to recover the original input image information. (C) 1999 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.