Optical Image Formation in Terms of Entropy Transformations

Abstract

Three major developments have been associated with problems in image formation optics in the last decade. They are the application of Communication and Information Theory concepts to optics, the theory of partial coherence and finally the matrix approach to image formation. In this report it is shown that these three developments are intimately related. Starting with E. Wolf's general theory of image formation interms of the mutual coherence function, it is shown that both the matrix and communication approaches flow naturally from it. In addition, these latter two are themselves closely related. Finally, some new results showing the change in entropy loss as a function of focal position are presented both from a geometrical and physical optics point of view. The appeal is one of unity. The arguments presented are confined to the special but important case of quasi-monochromatic illumination. For sources of arbitrary case spectral width and time varying fields, the generalized theory has not yet been full...