Angle-sensitive pixel design for wavefront sensing

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel CMOS-compatible pixel design that captures both intensity and wavefront information simultaneously, enhancing applications like phase microscopy and lensless imaging.

Contribution

The paper presents a new angle-sensitive pixel design that encodes wavefront information into a balanced detection scheme, compatible with standard CMOS fabrication.

Findings

Successfully detects local intensity and wavefront information simultaneously

Compatible with existing CMOS fabrication processes

Applicable to phase microscopy, lensless imaging, and machine vision

Abstract

Conventional image sensors are only responsive to the intensity variation of the incoming light wave. By encoding the wavefront information into the balanced detection scheme, we demonstrate an image sensor pixel design that is capable to detect both the local intensity and wavefront information simultaneously. With the full compatibility to the CMOS fabrication process, the proposed pixel design can benefit a variety of applications, including phase microscopy, lensless imaging and machine vision.