Optical image Formation in terms of entropy transformations and intensity matrices.

Abstract

The entropy concepts in thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, information theory and optics are discussed along with their relationships. As a first step of the application of the entropy concept we evaluate the entropy loss in optical system (one- and two-dimensional cases) vs. defocussing from geometrical and physical optics viewpoints. After reviewing the image formation with Fourier analysis and bringing it to a general formulation, we consider the foundations of the optical image formulation in terms of matrices and apply it to several illustrative cases. We investigate the properties of the illumination matrix of optics proposed by Gabor and Gamo under the guidance of statistical mechanical density matrix. Comparison between the density matrix and the illumination matrix is considered. [TRUNCATED]