Particle image velocimetry: direct pulsed image recording on a bistable optically addressed spatial light modulator...

We describe direct pulsed image recording onto a bistable optically addressed spatial light modulator in particle image velocimetry (PIV). By coupling this technique with the parallel optical spatial autocorrelator for PIV data processing, one can obtain a fluid flow map within seconds without the necessity for off-line processing. The feasibility of recording a double-pulsed particle image is explored and demonstrated experimentally.