Ultra-compact snapshot spectral light-field imaging
Xia Hua, Yujie Wang, Shuming Wang, Xiujuan Zou, You Zhou, Lin Li, Feng Yan, Xun Cao, Shumin Xiao, Din Ping Tsai, Jiecai Han, Zhenlin Wang, Shining Zhu
Abstract
Ideal imaging, which is constantly pursued, requires the collection of all kinds of optical information of the objects in view, such as three-dimensional spatial information (3D) including the planar distribution and depth, and the colors, i.e., spectral information (1D). Although three-dimensional spatial imaging and spectral imaging have individually evolved rapidly, their straightforward combination is a cumbersome system, severely hindering the practical applications of four-dimensional (4D) imaging. Here, we demonstrate the ultra-compact spectral light-field imaging (SLIM) by using a transversely dispersive metalens array and a monochrome imaging sensor. With only one snapshot, the SLIM presents advanced imaging with a 4 nm spectral resolution and near-diffraction-limit spatial resolution. Consequently, visually indistinguishable objects and materials can be discriminated through SLIM, which promotes significant progress towards ideal plenoptic imaging.