Subject

Digital holography is a methodology based on coherent light that can fully describe the optical field, allowing for realizing 3D display technology creating images indistinguishable from real objects, accounting for all human visual cues. This display needs to be fed holograms, which are complex interference patterns encoding the 3D light fields. This requires computationally intensive numerical diffraction algorithms because all virtual 3D scene points can in principle affect all hologram pixels. This requires the design and efficient implementation of novel computer graphics algorithms, which are still actively being researched. A particular phenomenon which has received little attention in holography are reflections and refraction of coherent light in various materials.

Kind of work

the refractions and reflections of coherent waves in holography. The main goal of this thesis topic is to contribute to the design, development, optimization and implementation of algorithms achieving this goal.
The student would utilize and apply his/her knowledge and skills in computer science and multimedia on a new research frontier in digital holography. To reach the goals set out in this thesis proposal. This would consist of the following tasks:
1. Obtaining a sufficient understanding of computer graphics and numerical diffraction algorithms, modifying existing models or proposing new variants which can account for reflection and refraction.
2. Implementing the algorithm and testing the holograms on a display, evaluating whether the new effects have been realized successfully.
3. Efficient implementation of the new algorithm using e.g. adapted data structures, high-performance implementation in e.g. C/C++, GPU support with CUDA, etc.
The goal of this master thesis is to make a scientific contribution by proposing and implementing novel algorithms for the modelling of reflection and refraction in computer-generated holography.

Framework of the Thesis

Blinder, D., Ahar, A., Bettens, S., Birnbaum, T., Symeonidou, A., Ottevaere, H., Schretter, C. and Schelkens, P., 2019. Signal processing challenges for digital holographic video display systems. Signal Processing: Image Communication, 70, pp.114-130.

Tsang, P. W. M., Poon, T. C., & Wu, Y. M. (2018). Review of fast methods for point-based computer-generated holography. Photonics Research, 6(9), 837-846.

Eybposh, M. H., Caira, N. W., Atisa, M., Chakravarthula, P., & Pégard, N. C. (2020). DeepCGH: 3D computer-generated holography using deep learning. Optics Express, 28(18), 26636-26650.

Blinder, D., Birnbaum, T., Ito, T. and Shimobaba, T., “The state-of-the-art in computer generated holography for 3d display,” Light: Advanced Manufacturing, 2022.

Number of Students

2

Expected Student Profile

The student should have a skills in high-performance programming (C/C++) and algorithms, preferably also in CUDA.
Prior knowledge in optics and diffraction is a plus, but not mandatory.