Image encoding based on coherent superposition and basic vector operations

A new method for image encryption based on optical coherent superposition and basic vector operations is proposed in this paper. In this encryption, the original image can be directly separated into two phase masks (PMs). One is a random phase mask (RPM) and the other is a modulation of the RPM by the original image. The mathematical calculation for obtaining the two PMs is quite simple and direct resulting from the simple principle of optical coherent superposition. The arbitrarily selected RPM can be treated as the encrypted result while the PM can be taken as the key for decryption. With this technique, the same encrypted result can be obtained for different images with the same size while the keys for decryption are different. The encryption can be performed digitally and the decryption can be performed optically or digitally. The security of the proposed method is discussed and computer simulation results are presented to verify the validity of proposed method.

Research Highlights► Image encryption based on optical coherent superposition and basic vector operations is proposed. ► In encryption the original image can be directly separated into two phase masks. ► The arbitrarily selected random phase mask can be treated as the encrypted result. ► Encryption can be performed digitally and decryption can be performed optically or digitally.