Color image single-channel encryption based on tricolor grating theory

A method of color image single-channel encryption is proposed. The proposed method uses tricolor grating to encode a color image into a gray level image, then the gray level image is encrypted by double random phase encryption, so a color image is encrypted in a single-channel and its security is ensured. Computer simulations and the chromatic aberration analysis are given to prove the possibility of the proposed idea. The optical system is simpler and is easy to be applied into practice. The simulation results show that this method is efficiency to encrypt a color image, and it is robust.