Improved approach for target detection and recognition on optoelectronic hybrid joint transform correlator

A conventional joint transform correlator (JTC) often generates large correlation sidelobes as well as a large correlation peak width, strong zero-order peak, and low diffraction efficiency in target detection and recognition, which make the detection ability of JTC lower. To conquer these difficulties, firstly, a joint power spectrum (JPS) subtraction technique was proposed in Fourier plane, where power spectrum of reference image and power spectrum of object image are subtracted from the JPS before inverse Fourier-transform operation, it is evident that the improved JPS removes the zero-order term. Secondly, a fringe-adjusted filter (FAF) was presented to restrain sidelobes and noises. The revised JPS is multiplied by a FAF before the inverse Fourier-transform operation to obtain the cross-correlation peak. Computer simulations showed the improved method can markedly eliminate zero-order diffraction and effectively control the sidelobes and noises compared to traditional JTC, and then enhance the detection ability for JTC. Experimental results presented the sharp correlation peak and also demonstrated this approach effectiveness.