Real-time calculation of Fresnel holograms using the split-Lohmann method

Holography is often considered as the most promising technology to enable high fidelity 3D perception in augmented and virtual reality applications. However, the computation of holograms in real time is still a challenging process especially for a 3D scene with a complex geometry. To overcome this limitation, we propose a one-step technique to compute the Fresnel diffraction integral for several propagation distances. Our approach is based on the split-Lohmann method that consists of successive operations in both space and frequency domains. We demonstrate that our technique can compute Fresnel holograms of complex geometry scenes in real time with a GPU implementation up to 18.1 times faster than layer-based approaches. Optical experiments are also conducted on a 4K full-color holographic display to show the high fidelity 3D perception provided by Fresnel split-Lohmann holograms.