An optical encryption and authentication scheme using asymmetric keys.

We propose a novel optical information encryption and authentication scheme that uses asymmetric keys generated by the phase-truncation approach and the phase-retrieval algorithm. Multiple images bonded with random phase masks are Fourier transformed, and obtained spectra are amplitude- and phase-truncated. The phase-truncated spectra are encoded into a single random intensity image using the phase-retrieval algorithm. Unlike most of the authentication schemes, in this study, only one encrypted reference image is required for verification of multiple secured images. The conventional double random phase encoding and correlation techniques are employed for authentication verification. Computer simulation results and theoretical explanation prove the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.