Optical Signal Processing
An indispensable treatment of optical signal processing--now in a convenient paperback edition
This introduction to optical signal processing offers an unparalleled look at its underlying theory and selected processing applications. Designed as both a senior-level undergraduate or first-year graduate-level textbook and a reference for professionals working in the field, Optical Signal Processing begins with a clear, methodical look at the fundamentals of optical signal processing, forming a firm foundation for a discussion of the field's ever-evolving technological breadth. Beginning with the second half of the book, special emphasis is given to processing wide bandwidth signals in real time by using acousto-optic technology.
Complete with detailed study problems that test the limits of students' knowledge, this comprehensive text forms a complete one-volume account of the theory and applications of optical signal processing. Professional engineers and physicists will find the sheer breadth of up-to-date coverage and detail of Optical Signal Processing provides them with an indispensable treatment of this influential technology.
Why Read This Book
You should read this book if you want a rigorous, application‑oriented bridge between Fourier/DSP theory and physical implementations in optics — including Vanderlugt's matched‑filter/correlator and acousto‑optic real‑time processors. It gives clear derivations and worked examples that show how convolution, correlation, and spectral filtering are realized with lenses, holograms, and A/O devices.
Who Will Benefit
Graduate students, researchers, and engineers with a signals/systems background who need to understand or design optical implementations of filtering, correlation, and real‑time wideband processing.
Level: Intermediate — Prerequisites: Undergraduate signals & systems (Fourier transforms, convolution, correlation), basic electromagnetic/physical optics (diffraction, interference), and linear systems math (complex exponentials, linear algebra).
Key Takeaways
- Explain how the optical Fourier transform is produced by lenses and how it maps to DSP Fourier operations.
- Design and analyze optical matched filters and Vanderlugt correlators for pattern recognition and signal detection.
- Apply coherent and incoherent optical processing principles to perform convolution, correlation, and spatial filtering.
- Implement real‑time wideband processing using acousto‑optic techniques and evaluate their bandwidth/latency tradeoffs.
- Quantify noise, resolution, and SNR effects in optical processors and relate them to equivalent electronic DSP limits.
Topics Covered
- 1. Introduction and historical perspective on optical signal processing
- 2. Fundamentals of physical optics: diffraction, interference, and paraxial approximations
- 3. The optical Fourier transform and frequency‑domain representation
- 4. Linear systems approach to imaging and spatial filtering
- 5. Coherent optical processing: theory and applications
- 6. Incoherent optical processing and intensity systems
- 7. Matched filtering and Vanderlugt optical correlators
- 8. Holographic recording and reconstruction for processing functions
- 9. Acousto‑optic devices and real‑time wideband optical processing
- 10. Practical implementations: alignments, components, and experimental considerations
- 11. Noise, resolution, and performance limits in optical processors
- 12. Applications: pattern recognition, target detection, and signal pre‑/post‑processing
- Appendices and problem sets
Languages, Platforms & Tools
How It Compares
Covers applied optical filtering and correlator design in a way complementary to J. W. Goodman's 'Introduction to Fourier Optics' — Vanderlugt emphasizes optical matched filters and acousto‑optic real‑time processors, while Goodman gives broader and deeper theoretical Fourier‑optics foundations.
