Image authentication using a vector beam with sparse phase information.

Abstract

We propose a novel optical information authentication scheme that uses Stokes polarimetry of vector beams. Phase-only functions of the plaintext are generated using a modified Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm. Partial information of these phase functions is used to tailor the phase of a vector beam. The Stokes parameters recording of the vector beam generates the ciphertext, which contains sparse information of the input image. In contrast to most authentication schemes, the proposed scheme can authenticate two images from a single real ciphertext. Computer simulation results prove the feasibility of the proposed scheme.