Optical Transfer Function

y
y'
x
x'

electro-optical
system

input I(x,y) output image U(x,y)

The OTF describes resolution of an image-system. It parallel s

the concept of electrical transfer function, about transfor-
mation of an object I( x,y) to its image U(x, y). Signals are
now the spatial distributions of the radiant power density in
the coordinates x,y (instead of tim e t).

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 1

 Fourier domain representation

Fourier transforms I and U give frequency content of I and U :

I(kx ,ky) = ∫ ∫ exp 2πi(kxx+kyy) I(x,y) dx dy
- ∞ +∞

U(kx ,ky) = ∫ ∫ exp 2πi(kxx+kyy) U(x,y) dx dy

- ∞ +∞

Antitransforms are:
I(x,y) = ∫ ∫ exp -2πi(kxx+kyy) I(kx ,ky) dkx dky
- ∞ +∞

U(x,y) = ∫ ∫ exp -2πi(kxx+kyy) U(kx ,ky) dkx dky

- ∞ +∞

In a linear system, ratio U/I is independent of the input and is

called the OTF (optical transfer function) of the system.

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 2

 OTF and MTF

Taking I=1, we see that OTF is the system response to the spatial
Dirac-delta δ(x,y) input image, or:
OTF(kx,ky) = U(kx,ky)/ I(kx,ky) = Uδ(kx,ky)
The antitransform Uδ(x,y) of Uδ is the confusion distribution of
the image system (its width is theconfusion circle of classical
optics).
In a system invariant to rotations/translations of the input image:
OTF(kx,ky) = OTF(kx) OTF(ky)
and we can limit ourselves to consider one component OTF(k).
We can express in general the OTF(k) as the product of a modulus
and a phase factor:
OTF(k) = MTF(k) exp i PTF(k)

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 3

 MTF

Modulus MTF is called the modulation transfer function,

and PTF is called the phase transfer function.
In linear systems, PTF vanishes because Uδ(x,y) is sym-
metrical to the origin x,y=0 and its transf orm __ the sine of
the imaginary part __ has a zero integral. Thus:
OTF(k) = MTF(k)
MTF is the ratio of the output-to-input signal content at
frequency k, or, the ratio of output to input contrast C for
an input of the type:
I(x) = I0(1+ C sin 2πkx)
Contrast C is def ined as:
C = (Imax-Imin) / (Imax+Imin)

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 4

 I/O contrast

I i

I0

0 1/k 2/k x or y
A procedure to measure MTF
Iu

I (a) readily follows: at system input

max

a grating is presented with va-

I
min riable period and unity contrast
Ii
0 1/k 2/k
x or y C=1. For each spatial frequency
k, output contrast C U is compu-
I0 ted; this C U is the MTF. The
procedure can be carried out
0
x or y
Iu vi sually using resolution charts
(b)
to find out limiting resolution.

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 5

 Limiting resolution

A generic MTF diagram always

1 starts from MTF=1 at k≈ 0 (low
spatial f requency), and gradually
MTF
decreases to zero at increasing
spatial f requencies.
0.5
The cutoff frequency is defined
limiting
resolution
as that of eye perceptivity to
0.03
contrast, Clim=0.03, and the cor-
0 responding spatial frequency is
0 k - spatial frequency calledlimit spatial frequency (or,
limiting resolution).

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 6

 MTF of cascaded systems

To analyze the cascade of several image systems, we can

write the output contrast from the n-th system as:
Cn=(Cn/Cn-1)(Cn-1/Cn-2)...(C1/C0)C0,
where C0 is the input image contrast; the composition rule
in product follows as:
MTF = MTF 1 . MTF 2 . . .MTF n
To apply this rule, the spatial f requencies k of all individual
terms shall be homogeneous.
Consider a TV broadcast of images, where we have: an objective
lens, an image pickup device, a transmission, an amplifier and
demodulator circuits, and a display, all described by an MTF.

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 7

 Making MTFs homogeneous

MTF
opt

Cn
pickup demod. display
camera

C MTF MTF MTFamp MTFdsp

0 pck tr
I(x,y)

Frequencies k or f are easily connected to each other, and if we

choose to express them, all in terms e.g., of kx we get:
• kθ=kxF, where F is the objective focal length;
• f=kxv, where v is the horizontal scan speed of the image
• kψ=kx'D, where D is the eye distance from display;
• kx'=Mkx , where M=ddsp/drip is the linear magnification.

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 8

 Finding resolution

pickup display ampl/

demod
tube
1

MTF transmiss
total MTF
objective
0.5

limiting
resolution
0.03
0
0
k - spatial frequency

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 9

 Image sampling

I(x)

On an image element we fi nd:

x

I int
X ηX • integration on a f inite duration
(or,i ntegrate-and-dump) with a
δ-response C(x)= 1(x)-1(x-ηX)
x
I 0(x)
• an ideal sampli ng equivalent to
multiplying the result by:
x
comb(x)=Σm=-∞,+∞ δ(x-mX)

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 10

 Sampling schematization

finite duration IDEAL

I(x) I0 (x)
INTEGRATION I SAMPLING
int

I0(x) = [I(x) * C(x)] . comb(x)

I0(k) = [I(k) . C(k)] * comb(x)

= Σm=-∞ +∞ I(k-m/X) C(k-m/X)

input signal I(k) is repeated periodically every 1/X in
spatial frequency, at integer multiples (positive and
negative) of the sampling frequency. Integrate and
dump has: C(k) = sin (2πkηX/2) / (2πkηX/2)

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 11

 Moire’ (or aliasing) effect
I(k) useful signal
bandwidth

I(k) I(k-1/X)

0 1/2X 1/X k

I(k)

I(k+1/X) I(k-1/X)

I(k)

0 1/2X 1/X k

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 12

 Measuring I(k) by Moirè

Before the image we place a sinusoidal grating with vertical bars

having a sinusoidal transmission
T = T 0(1+cos2πkxx),
and collect the transmitted radiation at a single PD. Current is:
i = ∫ I(x,y) T0(1+cos 2πkxx) dx
x

and, recalling that I = FT (I):

i = T 0 [I(0,0) + I(kx,0) ]
or, we get the Fourier transform component in kx (plus a dc term).
Similarly, with a horizontal grating, we get I(ky,0).

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 13

 Optical rule

optical source

fixed grating
mobile grating (typ. L=1 m)
(typ 1 cm width)
photodetector
(single or double) p

FIXED
GRATING

MOBILE
GRATING

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 14

 MOBILE
GRATING

MOBILE GRAT ING with a p/4

PHASE JUMP at CENTER

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 15

 Optical rule circuits

RIFARE

sin Φ signal cos Φ signal

sin Φ cos Φ
I
By counting the sin Φ
I0 and cos Φ crossings of
0 x
mean lev el I0, (4 per
p 2p
period) displacement is
measured with p/4
resolution (and sign)

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 16

 3D Contouring

Moire'
planes

H=p/2sin θ

p
θ MOIRE'
RETICLE,
period p

LINE OF
IlLLUMINATION
LINE OF SIGHT

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 17

 Moiré contouring

Aiming to devise a simple

technique for checking
scoliosis,
Takasaki has reported (Applied
Optics vol.12 p.845) this
example of 3-D contouring
on a small statue 50-cm tall

from:”Photodetectors”, by S.Donati, Prentice Hall 2000 18