Joel S. Kollin

Electronic display system for computational holography

We present an electro-optical apparatus capable of displaying a computer generated hologram (CGH) in real time. The CGH is calculated by a supercomputer, read from a fast frame buffer, and transmitted to a high-bandwidth acousto-optic modulator (AOM). Coherent light is modulated by the AOM and optically processed to produce a three-dimensional image with horizontal parallax.

Real-Time Display Of 3-D Computed Holograms By Scanning The Image Of An Acousto-Optic Modulator

The invention of holography has sparked hopes for a three-dimensional electronic imaging systems analogous to television. Unfortunately, the extraordinary spatial detail of ordinary holographic recordings requires unattainable bandwidth and display resolution for three-dimensional moving imagery, effectively preventing their commercial development. However, the essential bandwidth of holographic images can be reduced enough to permit their transmission through fiber optic or coaxial cable, and the required resolution or space-bandwidth product of the display can be obtained by raster scanning the image of a commercially available acousto-optic modulator. No film recording or other photographic intermediate step is necessary as the projected modulator image is viewed directly. The design and construction of a working demonstration of the principles involved is also presented along with a discussion of engineering considerations in the system design. Finally, the theoretical and practical limitations of the system are addressed in the context of extending the system to real-time transmission of moving holograms synthesized from views of real and computer-generated three-dimensional scenes.