Determining phase functions using annealing techniques

An alternative approach is formulated for the determination of the function required to be encoded as a computer-generated hologram (CGH) to perform a set task. Filters plotted as CGH have in the past been used to perform co-ordinate transformations and optical fan-out operations. The functions required to perform these operations have been devised under the geometrical optics and paraxial ray approximations and are believed to produce constraints upon the phase function that are too restrictive for optimal performance. The formulation presented uses knowledge of the zero locations calculated from the output profile and an annealing approach for finding the lowest energy configuration for these zeros. From this annealed distribution the function required for the CGH can be found