Extended object reconstruction from image intensities blurred by unknown aberrations

TL;DR

This paper presents a computational algorithm that reconstructs extended objects from blurred images affected by unknown aberrations, achieving diffraction-limited quality without additional optical hardware.

Contribution

The authors introduce a novel computational method for reconstructing images from blurred intensities caused by unknown aberrations, bypassing the need for adaptive optics hardware.

Findings

Successfully reconstructs diffraction-limited images

Validates the algorithm through experimental results

Applicable to any incoherent optical system

Abstract

We describe and experimentally validate an algorithm to reconstruct an unknown extended object from through-focus measured image intensities blurred by unknown aberrations. It is shown that the method can recover diffraction-limited image quality. The algorithm is a rigorous, computational optics alternative to the conventional adaptive optics which requires additional high end optical devices to measure and to correct the wavefront aberrations. The method can be applied to any optical system that fulfills the condition of incoherent imaging.