Fast and Efficient Speckle Customization with Binary Amplitude Modulation

Speckle patterns formed by light scattering through disordered media have a wide range of applications, from imaging [1] to cryptography [2]. However, tailoring these patterns to meet specific requirements presents a significant challenge. Traditional approaches, such as phase-only modulation using liquid crystal-based spatial light modulators (LC-SLMs) [3], [4] are limited by their slow response times (30–100 Hz), while Digital Micromirror Device (DMD)-based methods [5] often suffer from low diffraction efficiency, typically below 5% [6]. Here, we aim to overcome these limitations by developing a fast and efficient method for speckle customization using binary amplitude modulation with a DMD and a diffuser. By utilizing the high-speed modulation capabilities of the DMD, which can operate at rates up to 50 kHz, and the light-scattering properties of a diffuser, our proposed method has the potential to achieve diffraction efficiencies of up to 50% while enabling the customization of speckle patterns.