Multiscale aperture synthesis imager

TL;DR

The paper introduces MASI, a scalable optical imaging system that uses distributed sensors and computational phase synchronization to achieve high-resolution, large-field, 3D imaging without lenses, overcoming traditional optical synchronization challenges.

Contribution

MASI transforms optical aperture synthesis into a computational problem, enabling scalable, lensless high-resolution imaging over large fields with simplified synchronization.

Findings

Resolves sub-micron features at long distances

Generates phase-contrast images larger than sensor size

Reconstructs 3D shapes over centimeter-scale fields

Abstract

Synthetic aperture imaging has enabled breakthrough observations from radar to astronomy. However, optical implementation remains challenging due to stringent wavefield synchronization requirements among multiple receivers. Here we present the multiscale aperture synthesis imager (MASI), which utilizes parallelism to break complex optical challenges into tractable sub-problems. MASI employs a distributed array of coded sensors that operate independently yet coherently to surpass the diffraction limit of single receiver. It combines the propagated wavefields from individual sensors through a computational phase synchronization scheme, eliminating the need for overlapping measurement regions to establish phase coherence. Light diffraction in MASI naturally expands the imaging field, generating phase-contrast visualizations that are substantially larger than sensor dimensions. Without using lenses, MASI resolves sub-micron features at ultralong working distances and reconstructs 3D shapes over centimeter-scale fields. MASI transforms the intractable optical synchronization problem into a computational one, enabling practical deployment of scalable synthetic aperture systems at optical wavelengths.