Modified Sub-aperture Stitching Algorithm using Image Sharpening and Particle Swarm Optimization

This study proposes a modified sub-aperture stitching algorithm, which uses an image sharpening algorithm and particle swarm optimization to improve the stitching accuracy. In sub-aperture stitching interferometers with high positional accuracy, the high-frequency components of measurements are more important than the low-frequency components when compensating for position errors using a sub-aperture stitching algorithm. Thus we use image sharpening algorithms to strengthen the high-frequency components of measurements. When using image sharpening algorithms, sub-aperture stitching algorithms based on the least-squares method easily become trapped at locally optimal solutions. However, particle swarm optimization is less likely to become trapped at a locally optimal solution, thus we utilized this method to develop a more robust algorithm. The results of simulations showed that our algorithm compensated for position errors more effectively than the existing algorithm. An experimental comparison with full aperture-testing results demonstrated the validity of the new algorithm.