High resolution imaging through an ultrahigh background rejection optical filter

Abstract

The Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter (FADOF) is a ultra-high background rejection optical filter (105) with an intrinsically wide field of view, fast response time (~1 GHz), and high throughput (95%), and it is an imaging device. We present the results of the first imaging experiments with a FADOF. The experimental setup is as follows: a TV camera is screwed into the FADOF output. Next a target is set up in the field of view of the FADOF imaging system. The FADOF keeps any background light from reaching the camera; therefore, there is no image, until we illuminate the target with a low power cw diode laser tuned to the FADOF pass band frequency (roughly 1 GHz wide). Only when the diode laser is tuned to the correct frequency and illuminates the target does the image appear. We will report the results of these qualitative experiments as well as measure the image quality and the received optical power necessary to generate the image.