Time-domain optical memory for image storage and high-speed image processing

We present an experimental study on the use of the time-domain optical memory for image storage and high-speed image processing. We focus on examining the fidelity of the recalled images and their spatial resolution as well as various image-processing operations offered by the memory. The recalled images were found to be of good quality because of their phase-conjugate nature. This unique feature further motivated us to examine the feasibility of fiber optics being used for image transmission, an issue important to the development of such a memory device. Two primary processing operations, two-image convolution and correlation, were demonstrated, and implications of the results for high-speed pattern recognition and optical interconnections are discussed.