Dot trajectories in the superposition of random screens: analysis and synthesis

I. Amidror

J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, Vol. 21, No. 8, August 2004, 1472-1487

Moiré effects that occur in the superposition of aperiodic layers such as correlated random dot screens are known as Glass patterns. One of the most interesting properties of such moiré effects, which clearly distinguish them from their periodic counterparts, is undoubtedly the appearence in the superposition of intriguing microstructure dot alignments, also known as dot trajectories. These dot trajectories may have different geometric shapes, depending on the transformations undergone by the superposed layers. In the case of simple linear transformations such as layer rotations or layer scalings, the resulting dot trajectories are rather simple (circular, radial, spiral, elliptic, hyperbolic, linear, etc.); but in more complex layer transformations the dot trajectories can have much more interesting and surprising shapes. A full mathematical analysis of the dot trajectories, their morphology, and their various properties is provided. Furthermore, it is shown how the approach also allows us to synthesize correlated random screens that give in their superposition dot trajectories having any desired geometric shapes. Finally, it is also explained why such dot trajectories are visible only in superpositions of aperiodic screens but not in superpositions of periodic screens.

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