Single-shot coherent noise suppression by spatial interferometric heterodyning

Coherent noise affects the information content in active imaging systems. Here we show that noise reduction can be accomplished using the intrinsic coherence properties of the electromagnetic fields. We demonstrate numerically and experimentally that a single-shot measurement using interferometric spatial heterodyning detection in conjuncture with computational image processing, permits suppressing coherent noise in conditions of low signal-to-noise ratios, through spectral upshifting of coherent information. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America