Wavefront coded imaging systems
First Claim
1. Imaging apparatus for imaging an object onto a detector, comprising:
- a lens structure constructed and arranged between the object and the detector to produce transverse ray intercept curves which are sloped substantially straight lines;
a wavefront coding element constructed and arranged between the object and the detector to affect a phase of light transmitted by the wavefront coding element such that a modulation transfer function of the lens structure and wavefront coding element has reduced variation, over a range of spatial frequencies and caused by aberrations of the lens structure, as compared to a modulation transfer function of the lens structure without the wavefront coding element; and
means for post-processing data from the detector to generate an image with an improved modulation transfer function, over the range of spatial frequencies, as compared to the modulation transfer function of the lens structure and the wavefront coding element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides improved Wavefront Coding imaging apparatus and methods composed of optics, a detector, and processing of the detected image. The optics are constructed and arranged to have the characteristic that the transverse ray intercept curves form substantially straight, sloped lines. The wavefront coding corrects for known or unknown amounts of “misfocus-like” aberrations by altering the optical transfer function of the imaging apparatus in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to aberrations. Post processing then removes the effect of the coding, except for the invariance with regard to aberrations, thereby producing clear images.
186 Citations
10 Claims
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1. Imaging apparatus for imaging an object onto a detector, comprising:
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a lens structure constructed and arranged between the object and the detector to produce transverse ray intercept curves which are sloped substantially straight lines;
a wavefront coding element constructed and arranged between the object and the detector to affect a phase of light transmitted by the wavefront coding element such that a modulation transfer function of the lens structure and wavefront coding element has reduced variation, over a range of spatial frequencies and caused by aberrations of the lens structure, as compared to a modulation transfer function of the lens structure without the wavefront coding element; and
means for post-processing data from the detector to generate an image with an improved modulation transfer function, over the range of spatial frequencies, as compared to the modulation transfer function of the lens structure and the wavefront coding element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Imaging apparatus for imaging an object onto a detector, comprising:
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a lens structure constructed and arranged between the object and the detector, and at an aperture stop or conjugate of the aperture stop of the apparatus, to produce transverse ray intercept curves which are sloped substantially straight lines; and
at least one surface of the lens structure forming a wavefront coding element to affect a phase of light transmitted by the wavefront coding element so as to alter an optical transfer function of the imaging apparatus such that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to focus-related aberrations over a greater range of aberrations than was provided by the unaltered optical transfer function. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification