Signal detection by complex spatial filtering

In the past, spatial filtering in coherent optical systems has been limited by the inability to realize practically a general complex filter. This paper describes a technique for realizing such a filter, and gives an application of spatial filtering to the problem of detecting isolated signals in a variety of noise backgrounds. The experimental results obtained to date indicate that this technique provides an excellent two-dimensional filtering capability that will play a key role in such problems as shape recognition and signal detection.