Blind Ghost Imaging

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel ghost imaging method that reconstructs objects behind scattering layers using only reflected light and pattern correlations, enabling non-invasive imaging in turbid media.

Contribution

It demonstrates that ghost imaging can be achieved without known illumination patterns by leveraging correlations between reflected and transmitted light, even in highly scattering environments.

Findings

Successful reconstruction of hidden objects behind scattering layers

Use of reflected light for ghost imaging without pattern knowledge

Potential applications in non-invasive imaging in turbid media

Abstract

Ghost imaging is an unconventional optical imaging technique that reconstructs the shape of an object combining the measurement of two signals: one that interacted with the object, but without any spatial information, the other containing spatial information, but that never interacted with the object. Ghost imaging is a very flexible technique, that has been generalized to the single-photon regime, to the time domain, to infrared and terahertz frequencies, and many more conditions. Here we demonstrate that ghost imaging can be performed without ever knowing the patterns illuminating the object, but using patterns correlated with them, doesn't matter how weakly. As an experimental proof we exploit the recently discovered correlation between the reflected and transmitted light from a scattering layer, and reconstruct the image of an object hidden behind a scattering layer using only the reflected light, which never interacts with the object. This method opens new perspectives for non-invasive imaging behind or within turbid media.