Wide-field mid-infrared edge-enhanced upconversion imaging

TL;DR

This paper introduces a wide-field mid-infrared edge-enhanced upconversion imaging system that combines vortex-pump engineering and quasi-phase matching, achieving high sensitivity, resolution, and contrast for biomedical and industrial applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel MIR imaging architecture with single-shot operation, record-high space-bandwidth product, and enhanced visualization of transparent objects and biological specimens.

Findings

Achieves 25-mm field of view and 79-μm spatial resolution.

Demonstrates direct visualization of phase gradients in optical elements.

Enhances structural contrast in biological samples.

Abstract

Edge-enhanced imaging is critical for visualizing weakly absorbing and transparent objects. Extending this functionality into the mid-infrared (MIR) region enables chemical sensitivity and improved imaging performance for biomedical, material, and remote-sensing applications. Here, we present a wide-field MIR edge-enhanced upconversion imaging system that integrates vortex-pump complex-amplitude engineering with aperiodic quasi-phase matching. In contrast to the bright-field modality, the wide-field edge-enhanced operation shows sensitive dependence on the crystal position relative to the Fourier plane. The system achieves single-shot operation with a 25-mm field of view and 79-$\mu$m spatial resolution, yielding a record-high space-bandwidth product of $7.9 \times 10^4$. We show that this capability enables direct visualization of phase gradients in transparent optical elements and enhances structural contrast in biological specimens. The demonstrated architecture combines high sensitivity, spectral specificity, and robust edge detection, offering a promising route toward advanced MIR imaging in industrial inspection and biomedical diagnostics.