A thermoplastic input data modulator for real-time optical processing of SAR data

A near real-time data modulator with temporal and spatial recording was developed, which employs electron beam writing on a deformable thermoplastic layer. The modulator was incorporated as the input device for an experimental coherent optical processing channel used for correlation processing of synthetic aperture radar data. The basic design, operation principle and performance features of the thermoplastic modulator are reviewed, and its potential uses for other data processing and display applications are pointed out.