Discrete adaptive zone light elements (DAZLE): a new approach to adaptive imaging

New advances in Liquid Crystal Spatial Light Modulators (LCSLM) offer opportunities for large adaptive optics in the midwave infrared spectrum. A light focusing adaptive imaging system, using the zero-order diffraction state of a polarizer-free liquid crystal polarization grating modulator to create millions of high transmittance apertures, is envisioned in a system called DAZLE (Discrete Adaptive Zone Light Elements). DAZLE adaptively selects large sets of LCSLM apertures using the principles of coded masks, embodied in a hybrid Discrete Fresnel Zone Plate (DFZP) design. Issues of system architecture, including factors of LCSLM aperture pattern and adaptive control, image resolution and focal plane array (FPA) matching, and trade-offs between filter bandwidths, background photon noise, and chromatic aberration are discussed.

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