Coherent electromagnetic field imaging through Fourier transform heterodyne

The authors present a detection process capable of directly imaging the transverse amplitude, phase, and if desired, Doppler shift of coherent electromagnetic fields. Based on coherent detection principles governing conventional heterodyned RADAR/LIDAR systems, Fourier Transform Heterodyne (FTH) incorporates transverse spatial encoding of the local oscillator for image capture. Appropriate selection of spatial encoding functions, or basis set, allows image retrieval by way of classic Fourier manipulations. Of practical interest: (1) imaging is accomplished on a single element detector requiring no additional scanning or moving components, and (2) a wide variety of appropriate spatial encoding functions exist that may be adaptively configured in real-time for applications requiring optimal detection. In this paper, they introduce the underlying principles governing FTH imaging, followed by demonstration of concept via a simple experimental setup based on a HeNe laser and a 69 element spatial phase modulator