High diffraction efficiency complex amplitude modulation technique by using antiwave functions

Complex amplitude modulation (CAM) is a single-step technique that codes the amplitude and phase of a diffracted optical field into a real function. Loading this function onto a phase-only spatial light modulator enables the reconstruction of 3D images. However, the obtained images have poor brightness because of the low diffraction efficiency. In this work, we show a novel solution, to the best of our knowledge, that overcomes this limitation. This is done by employing antiwave complex exponential functions, which modify the spectrum of the diffracted field. Proper configuration of these functions allows transferring energy across the diffraction spectrum to the informative diffraction order, which significantly improves the brightness of the reconstructed image. Simulations and experiments prove the efficiency of the proposed method.