Systems and methods for azimuthal multiplexing three-dimensional diffractive optics

1. An azimuthal optical multiplexing system, comprising:

a light source; and

two or more at least partially transparent plates, wherein each of the two or more plates are structured or patterned, and are positioned in an optical path of the light source, and

wherein a first plate of the two or more plates is positioned proximal to a first end of the optical path, and at least a second plate of the two or more plates is positioned proximal to a second end of the optical path opposite the first end; and

means for rotating at least one plate of the two or more plates axially with respect to at least one other plate of the two or more plates, the means for rotating operatively coupled to the at least one plate, wherein a structure, or a pattern, of the two or more plates is configured to modulate light directed along the optical path and through the two or more plates.

2. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein each plate of the two or more plates has a separately calculated modulation function.

3. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 2 , wherein modulation functions for each of the two or more plates are respectively calculated for a given transmission pattern output of the system.

4. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 2 , wherein the modulation function determines a transmittance of a respective plate of the two or more plates.

5. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 2 , wherein the modulation function is a phase modulation function.

6. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 5 , wherein the phase modulation function of each plate of the two or more plates is calculated using an iterative projection optimization algorithm.

7. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two or more plates includes at least one hole axially bored therethrough.

8. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 1 further comprising means for detecting an output of modulated light propagated through the two or more plates, the means for detecting positioned optically downstream of the light source and downstream of at least the second plate positioned most distally from the light source.

9. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein the structure, or the pattern, is further configured to modulate a phase of the light directed along the optical path and through the two or more plates.

10. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein the structure, or the pattern, is further configured to modulate an amplitude of the light directed along the optical path and through the two or more plates.

11. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein the structure, or the pattern, is further configured to encode or encrypt information.

12. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 11 , wherein the information is encoded or encrypted as at least one of: images, at least one spot, a speckle pattern, a random pattern, a non-random pattern, a pseudo-random pattern, and statistics or properties of the light propagated through at least a second plate of the two or more plates positioned most distally from the light source.

13. The azimuthal optical multiplexing system of claim 1 , wherein the structure, or the pattern, is further configured to provide an optical mask comprising at least one of: a random pattern, a pseudo-random pattern, a non-random pattern, a zero random pattern, and an engineered mask.

14. A method of operating an azimuthal optical multiplexing system, the method comprising:

transmitting light from a light source through two or more at least partially transparent plates,

wherein the two or more plates are structured, or patterned, and are positioned in an optical path of the light, and

wherein a first plate of the two or more plates is positioned proximal to a first end of the optical path, and at least a second plate of the two or more plates is positioned proximal to a second end of the optical path opposite the first end,

modulating, by the two or more plates, the light transmitted along the optical path and through the two or more plates;

rotating at least one plate of the two or more plates axially with respect to at least one other plate of the two or more plates; and

transitioning, by the rotating, through or between a plurality of output states of the light transmitted along the optical path and through at least a second plate of the two or more plates positioned most distally from the light source.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising detecting the output state of the light transmitted along the optical path and through the at least a second plate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a structure, or a pattern, of at least one of the two or more plates encodes or encrypts at least one piece of information, and wherein the detecting step comprises at least one of: decoding, decrypting, and visualizing, the at least one piece of information.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the transitioning step comprises transitioning through the plurality of output states of the light to facilitate at least one of the: decoding, decrypting, and visualizing, the at least one piece of information.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the modulating step comprises modulating at least one of: a phase, and an amplitude, of the light transmitted along the optical path and through the two or more plates.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising encoding or encrypting at least one piece of information in a structure, or a pattern, of at least one plate of the two or more plates.

20. A cryptographic apparatus, comprising:

two or more at least partially transparent plates, wherein at least one plate of the two or more plates is structured or patterned, a first plate of the two more plates positioned proximal a first end of the apparatus, and at least a second plate of the two or more plates positioned proximal a second end of the apparatus opposite the first end;

at least one light source positioned and configured to transmit light along an optical path defined by at least portions of: the two or more plates, and the structured or patterned surface, wherein a structure, or a pattern, of the at least one plate is configured to modulate the light;

means for rotating at least one plate of the two or more plates operatively coupled to the at least one plate, the means for rotating configured to axially rotate the at least one plate with respect to at least one other plate of the two or more plates; and

means for detecting the light following passage through the two or more plates along the optical path.