All-optical neural-net-like image processing with photosensitive nonlinear nematic film

Opt Lett. 2003 Dec 1;28(23):2372-4. doi: 10.1364/ol.28.002372.

Abstract

Received June 30, 2003 We demonstrate that some neural-net image-processing operations can be realized in an all-optical manner by use of the natural diffraction property of light in conjunction with the photosensitivity and optical nonlinearities of a transparent thin film. An example of image edge enhancement is illustrated with photosensitive supranonlinear nematic liquid-crystal films.