All-optical image processing with cavity type II second-harmonic generation

Abstract

The possibilities offered by type II intracavity second-harmonic generation for all-optical parallel processing of images are investigated. By injecting an image in a linearly polarized pump beam and a homogeneous field with orthogonal polarization, we obtain, according to the value of the latter, either frequency and polarization transfer or contrast enhancement and contour recognition. Noise-filtering effects are also predicted.