Full-color photon-counting single-pixel imaging

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel full-color single-pixel imaging method that combines time-correlated single-photon counting with time-division multiplexing, enabling high-quality color imaging at extremely low light levels.

Contribution

The work presents an innovative integration of TCSPC with structured illumination for efficient, high-quality full-color imaging using a single-pixel detector.

Findings

Successfully demonstrated full-color imaging at low light levels

Achieved high-quality image reconstruction with single-round measurement

Enhanced imaging efficiency through strategies like undersampling

Abstract

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a high-efficiency single-pixel imaging (SPI) scheme by integrating time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) with time-division multiplexing to acquire full-color images at extremely low light level. This SPI scheme uses a digital micromirror device to modulate a sequence of laser pulses with preset delays to achieve three-color structured illumination, then employs a photomultiplier tube into the TCSPC module to achieve photon-counting detection. By exploiting the time-resolved capabilities of TCSPC, we demodulate the spectrum-image-encoded signals, and then reconstruct high-quality full-color images in a single-round of measurement. Based on this scheme, the strategies such as single-step measurement, high-speed projection, and undersampling can further improve the imaging efficiency.