Computer Generated Display Holography

Abstract

« A hologram » is a ubiquitous term when talking about realistic 3-D illusion. « Holographic display » seems to be the holy grail of 3-D display technology, at least according to news headlines. But what « holographic » actually means? The tutorial explains basics of holography, the lensless imaging method, invented by Gabor and Denisyuk in the mid-twentieth century, that produces breathtaking 3-D images - holograms. Then it explains basic steps of transition from classical to digital holography and to computer generated display holography - a counterpart of computer graphics that does not calculate an image, but a hologram. The tutorial also covers holographic printing, holographic electronic displays and compares them to competing technologies.