Misalignment influence of components on the performance of an integrated zigzag Vander Lugt correlator

The idea of integrating a zigzag Vander Lugt correlator with spatial light modulators (IZVLC) is rather flexible as a means of applying the parallelism of optics and rapid processing speed to a wider range of applications. The alignment of components poses an important impact on the performance of hybrid-optical architecture IZVLC. Based on planar optical and transfer function theory, we establish a simulation model of IZVLC system, systematically analyze the impact of components misalignment on the system performance, and demonstrate that the system is more sensitive to transversal misalignment of components than longitudinal misalignment of those. This analysis method of components misalignment can be important and useful for the designers, manufacturers and users of the IZVLC system to improve the robustness.