United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Charles K Makekau

Joseph L Horner

Kenneth H Fielding

A 2f Fourier transform optical correlator uses two simple, single element lenses, with the second lens performing both quadratic phase term removal and the inverse Fourier transform operation in a compact two-focal-length space. This correlator performs correlations quite well and uses three less lens elements than a prior 2f system, is shorter by a factor of two compared to the standard 4f system, and uses one less lens than the 3f system, while still retaining the variable scale feature.

Compact 2f optical correlator

A modified 2f Fourier transform optical correlator combines a collimation and first Fourier Transform lens into one thin lens. The resulting correlator thus utilizes one less lens relative to the unmodified 2f optical correlator.

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Bedford, MA, United States of America

Charles K Makekau