Optical correlator console

Abstract

An optical correlator console for mounting and assembling the components of an optical correlator system in a unique stable, compact and functional configuration in which all of the components are mounted in a compact configuration on upper and lower sides of a base support plate. The components which do not ordinarily require accessibility are mounted below the support plate and the components which ordinarily require accessibility during operation and use of the optical correlator are mounted above the support plate. The lower side of the support plate mounts a laser source and a collimator along with several other incidental optical components, with the laser source providing a laser beam as an input to the collimator which provides an expanded and collimated optical beam. The additional incidental optical elements can include a spatial filter and a shutter mounted interposed between the laser source and the collimator. An image modulation means is provided for modulating the optical beam with image information, either by a film image in a film gate mounted on the upper side of the support plate in a first embodiment, or by a spatial light modulator mounted on the lower side of the support plate in a second embodiment. A periscope mirror assembly transfers the optical beam from the lower to the upper side of the base support plate. The upper side of the support plate mounts a multiple holographic lens, a multiple matched filter memory, an inverse Fourier transform lens and a detector. The multiple holographic lens replicates the optical beam to produce multiple optical beams which are directed onto the multiple matched filter memory, the output of which is directed through the inverse Fourier transform lens means to the detector.