Optical retrieval of encrypted digital holograms for secure real-time display

Secure data transmission by use of encrypted digital holograms and an optical retrieval system for secure real-time display are proposed. Original images are encrypted by a double-random phase encryption technique and then are recorded as digital holograms in a CCD, together with a reference plane wave. This digital hologram of the encrypted image can be transmitted to receivers via any conventional electronic or digital communication channels. The decryption key is also recorded as a digital hologram. At the receiver, the original image can be retrieved by an optical correlation-based reconstruction process. Both encryption and retrieval can be performed by all-optical means, and thus a real-time secure display can be implemented. We demonstrate the proposed system numerically and experimentally. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.