PATTERNS OF INTERFERENCE - INFORMATION AND FOG IN HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGES

In many holographic recording regimes polarization and symmetry pose conflicting requirements. The author takes another look at this problem to seek helpful guidance. Several important regimes of recording are discussed and levels of information and fog are calculated. Overall, the holographic method is seen to be often less than satisfactory and the author concludes that very great care is necessary to elevate the fringe contrast from a lowly level imposed by experimental inadequacy to still potentially low theoretical limits imposed by polarization and symmetry.