Cubic sinusoidal phase mask: Another choice to extend the depth of field of incoherent imaging system

Wave-front coding is a well known technique used to extend the depth of field of incoherent imaging system. The core of this technique lies in the design of suitable phase masks, among which the most important one is the cubic phase mask suggested by Dowski and Cathey (1995) [1]. In this paper, we propose a new type called cubic sinusoidal phase mask which is generated by combing the cubic one and another component having the sinusoidal form. Numerical evaluations and real experimental results demonstrate that the composite phase mask is superior to the original cubic phase mask with parameters optimized and provides another choice to achieve the goal of depth extension.     

可调谐相位板空域频域联合分析

波前编码系统采用在传统光学系统中加入相位板来扩大光学系统的景深而避免传统景深延拓技术的不利影响. 由于相位板的参数不可调, 整个系统的景深延拓扩展率也不能动态可调. 采用两相位板组合的方法可以有效克服这一点. 本文首先从光线差的角度提出了两三次相位板组合下的光线像差分布以及点扩散函数尺寸的具体关系表达式, 直观体现了系统的光线结构, 指出了光线结构和点扩散函数尺寸受两三次相位板的面型和相对位移量的影响. 其次采用稳相法从空间域给出了系统点扩散函数表达式, 依据点扩散函数的振荡性质给出了有效带宽表达式, 提出了点扩散函数在像面的位置会随两相位板面型参数以及相对于光瞳中心的位移量而发生平移. 最后利用菲涅耳积分给出两三次相位板任意面型参数和相对位移组合下的准确光学传递函数. 在得到的调制传递函数中直观体现出了面型参数和相对位移量对调制传递函数和相位传递函数以及有效带宽的影响, 并说明了此系统相位传递函数的非线性性质. 通过空间域与频率域相结合的方法分析验证了传统的两三次相位板组合具有景深可调和带宽可调的性质, 为设计可调谐波前编码系统提供了理论依据.     

Focal depth extending using rotational symmetric pupil masks

Optical systems are analyzed with three kinds of rotational symmetric pupil masks: annular Gaussian ring mask, supergaussian ring mask, and quartic phase mask. In these masks, the quartic phase mask is found to be the best one to extend focal depth. Point spread function (PSF) and Strehl ratio (SR) are used to evaluate the imaging quality of the system with different defocus parameters. Without decoding needed, the focal depth of the system with quartic phase mask is four times as deep as aberration-free system. Different from the others, it suffers no obvious loss in the light throughput and lateral resolution.With twice focal depth extension, supergaussian ring mask suffers less loss in light throughput and lateral resolution than annular Gaussian ring mask.     

波前编码显微物镜景深扩展的研究

为了解决传统显微物镜景深与分辨率的矛盾,采用波前编码的方法,设计研究了波前编码的10倍显微物镜,结合传统光学设计软件,采用基于MTF一致性的相位板参数的优化方法,实现了在像面附近一定范围内系统的点扩散函数一致性;此外,还设计了扩展三次相位编码板的10倍显微物镜,比较了采用两种不同相位板系统的焦深扩展的效果,结果显示三次相位板的焦深扩展效果较好,可以将传统10倍显微物镜的焦深扩展15倍。成像模拟仿真结果显示滤波后的编码像在±15倍焦深范围内成像清晰,从而扩大了系统的景深。     

Pupil design based on Fisher information optimization to extend field depth in practical optical system

<正>Wavefront coding(WFC) is used to extend the field depth of an incoherent optical system by employing a phase mask on the pupil.We uses a Fisher information(FI) metric based optimization method to design a phase mask by taking the modulation transfer function(MTF) of the practical optical system into consideration. This method can modulate the wavefront so that the point spread function and optical transfer function are insensitive to the object distance.The simulation results show that the optimized phase mask based on the proposed method can further improve the defocusing image quality while maintaining the focusing image quality.     

Real-time increase in depth of field of an uncooled thermal camera using several phase-mask technologies

Imaging systems that combine a phase mask in the pupil and digital postprocessing may have better performance than conventional ones. We have built such a system to enhance the depth of field of an uncooled thermal camera. The phase masks are binary, their structures are optimized thanks to an image quality criterion, and they have been realized with three different technologies that give equivalent results. The deconvolution postprocessing is performed in real time with a graphics processing unit. A significant increase of the depth of field of a factor 3 has been obtained.     

Analytical and experimental demonstration of depth of field extension for incoherent imaging system with a standard sinusoidal phase mask

The wavefront coding technique is used to enlarge the depth of field（DOF）of incoherent imaging systems. The key to wavefront coding lies in the design of suitable phase masks.To date,numerous kinds of phase masks are proposed.However,further understanding is needed regarding phase mask with its phase function being in a standard sinusoidal form.Therefore,the characteristics of such a phase mask are studied in this letter.Deriving the defocused optical transfer function（OTF）analytically proves that the standard sinusoidal phase mask is effective in extending the DOF,and actual experiments confirm the numerical results.At the same time,with the Fisher information as a criterion,the standard sinusoidal phase mask shows a higher tolerance to focus errors（especially severe focus errors）than the classical cubic phase mask.     

Zernike-basis expansion of the fractional and radial Hilbert phase masks

The linear Hilbert phase mask or transform has found applications in image processing and spectroscopy. An optical version of the fractional Hilbert mask is considered here, comprising an imaging system with a circular, unobscured pupil in which a variable phase delay is introduced into one half of the pupil, split bilaterally.The radial Hilbert phase mask is also used in image processing and to produce optical vortices which have applications in optical tweezers and the detection of exoplanets.We subjected the fractional and radial Hilbert phase masks to Zernike function expansion in order to compute the image plane electromagnetic field distribution using Nijboer-Zernike theory. The Zernike functions form an orthogonal basis on the unit circle. The complex-valued Zernike expansion coefficients for these two phase masks were derived for use in the context of the Extended Nijboer-Zernike (ENZ) theory of image formation. The ENZ approach is of interest in that it allows a greater range of defocus to be dealt with, provides a simple means of taking a finite source size into account and has been adapted to high Numerical Aperture (NA) imaging applications.Our image plane results for the fractional Hilbert mask were verified against a numerical model implemented in the commercial optical design and analysis code, Zemax^®. It was found that the Nijboer-Zernike result converged to the Zemax^® result from below as the number of Zernike terms in the expansion was increased.     

Polarization phase in aberration compensation

A phase/amplitude mask on the aperture of an imaging system results in a pupil function that is multiplicative with the lens function, resulting in a morphological transformation of the imaging wavefront. It was shown that such amplitude and phase functions can be implemented using polarization masks, with the advantage that the phase and amplitude can be controlled in real time and in some cases, independently of each other. The phase and amplitude variation over the mask can be controlled either by changing the polarization of the mask or by changing the input beam parameters. Wavefront tailoring using polarization-masked apertures is therefore feasible and may be utilized for focal shift and partial aberration compensation. For complete compensation of aberration, the phase distribution over the mask should be conjugate to that of the phase error of the aberrant wavefront, which necessitates the use of a continuously variable polarization mask. Since such a mask is difficult to implement, we have considered polarizing masks consisting of discrete polarized zones on the lens aperture, leading to polarization phase steps on the exit pupil of the imaging system. The simulation results presented in this paper show that effects of focal shift, partial compensation of primary spherical aberration and astigmatism can indeed be achieved by the proper use of polarization masked apertures.     

Transverse superresolution and focal shift with rotational tunable phase mask

This paper reports the imaging characteristics of an optical system can be modified by our designed polarization pupil mask. The novel rotational symmetric polarization pupil mask design based on combination of half-wave and quarter-wave plates is introduced for realizing the focal shift and extending focal depth of an optical system and the procedure for designing is presented. Numerical results show when an appropriate rotational symmetric polarization pupil mask is used as an apodizer in the optical imaging system, it not only can effectively achieve the continuously focal shift in a small range and extend focal depth of the optimized system, but also can evidently increase the transverse resolution of the optimized system at the genuine focal plane.     

波前编码系统的点扩散函数稳相法分析

本文利用稳相法从本质上分析了三次相位波前编码系统的点扩散函数特性.通过分析三次相位板任意位置掩膜带和点扩散函数的关系,指出点扩散函数和稳相点的关系:两个稳相点引起点扩散函数的振荡,一个稳相点则只会造成点扩散函数的平稳变化.相位掩膜带或相位掩膜对的对称结构是同一区域内存在两个稳相点的必要条件,对称结构的不同位置对应于点扩散函数的不同部分.这种对应关系同时解释了对焦点扩散函数只存在振荡,而离焦点扩散函数却还存在平缓变化区域的本质原因,这是由离焦时光学对称轴和几何对称轴不重合引起的.本文建立了点扩散函数和对称相位掩膜对之间的对应关系,可以有效地指导相位掩膜的加工和检验.     

一种基于OTF稳定性的波前编码相位板优化方法

提出了一种简单的可用于光学系统中子午弧矢方向白光OTF稳定性评价的波前编码相位板参量优化方法.该方法仅以标准偏差来评价OTF在目标景深范围内的稳定性,并且结合自适应模拟退火算法在参量空间内优化得到相位板的最佳参量.使用该方法优化得到的相位板参量,可以大幅度提高光学系统的景深,并且可以获得更为清晰、稳定的成像.对应用波前编码技术前后光学系统的成像性能作了比较,并且考察了优化参量的容差性.     

Multiple image encryption using an aperture-modulated optical system

A multiple image cryptosystem based on different apertures in an optical set-up under a holographic arrangement is proposed. The system is a security architecture that uses different pupil aperture mask in the encoding lens to encrypt different images. Based on this approach multiple encryption is achieved by changing the pupil aperture arrangement of the optical system among exposures. In addition to the classical speckle phase mask, the geometrical parameters characterizing the apertures are introduced to increase the system security. Even when an illegal user steals the speckle phase mask, the system cannot be broken into without the correct pupil geometrical parameters. The experimental set-up is based on a volume photorefractive BSO crystal as storing device. Information retrieval is done via a phase conjugation operation. We also have to stress that the multiple storage under this scheme, is only possible with the help of the aperture mask. Simulation and experimental results are further introduced to verify the proposed method.     

波前编码系统相位板视场效应的消除

通过在光学系统的光阑面上加入一个非球面相位板,使得光学系统的成像对离焦不敏感.但当入射视场角较大时,图像的边缘发生变形且难以恢复.针对此问题,提出了两种解决方案,方案一是把相位板移至光路中光线较为平缓的区域,但不是系统的光阑位置;方案二是保持相位板位置不变,优化整个光学系统,使相位板前的光线能够平缓地入射到相位板.实验中对一个EFL=12.5 mm,F/#=1.3,半视场角为13.5°的波前编码实际系统进行仿真比较,得出方案二可以有效地消除波前编码相位板引入的视场效应.     

Optical transfer function analysis of circular-pupil wavefront coding systems with separable phase masks

This paper proposes a simple method to achieve the optical transfer function of a circular pupil wavefront coding system with a separable phase mask in Cartesian coordinates.Based on the stationary phase method,the optical transfer function of the circular pupil system can be easily obtained from the optical transfer function of the rectangular pupil system by modifying the cut-off frequency and the on-axial modulation transfer function.Finally,a system with a cubic phase mask is used as an example to illustrate the way to achieve the optical transfer function of the circular pupil system from the rectangular pupil system.     

Code retrieval via undercover multiplexing

The purpose of this research is to develop an undercover multiplexing technique to give additional protection for optical information encryption. We employ the double random phase mask as our basic optical encryption system. The holographic storage medium of choice is a photorefractive crystal. To achieve the multiplexing we use the aperture size of the pupil in the optical system, as it governs the speckle size. We introduce such variation in order to produce a decorrelation between two consecutively stored speckle patterns. Each stored speckle pattern is associated to an input encrypted image, thus producing a multiplexing of the encrypted information. We implement this operation without altering the setup architecture and the random phase masks. This multiplexing is our undercover operation to encipher a true code behind a fake code. Under this approach, the user can only recover the bulk information stored in the volume hologram. However, he cannot recover the true code without the additional information on the pupil size key, even if accessed in position of the original decoding mask.     

Optimized annular phase masks to extend depth of field

A radially symmetric phase mask composed of several annular zones with equal area (called APM) was designed based on the incoherent imaging theory from Fourier Optics. The phase of any ring equals minus of the phase function caused by certain defocus. Another circularly symmetric phase mask similar to the APM (called MQPM) was proposed, except for the different phase function deriving from the quartic phase mask (QPM). For MQPM, there are two differences from an existing phase mask: the selection of the phase parameters and the method to divide the phase mask. An optimization model was developed to obtain optimized parameters of the phase masks. Numerical evaluations show that both APM and MQPM are less insensitive to defocus than QPM, and the defocused optical transfer functions with two phase masks are symmetric about the in-focus plane in the axial direction.     

Optimized free-form phase mask for extension of depth of field in wavefront-coded imaging

To achieve a further extension of the depth of field in wavefront-coded imaging by reducing the impact of focus error in the optical transfer function, we propose the use of a free-form phase mask (FPM) instead of a conventional cubic phase mask (CPM). We optimized the shape of the FPM using the simulated annealing algorithm and confirmed that the optimized FPM provides a much larger focal tolerance and better final images than the CPM in the noise-free case.     

相位板装配倾斜对波前编码系统点扩散函数的影响

分析了装配误差引起的相位板倾斜对波前编码系统的影响,通过坐标变换推导了相应条件下的广义光瞳函数。结果表明:倾斜因子对系统的相位板系数具有放大效果,其随倾斜角绝对值的增大而增大,而与倾斜角的正负无关。相位板倾斜会放大系统点扩散函数包络面的两条直角边,相应地降低其光学传递函数值。在子午倾斜的条件下,子午方向的相位板系数放大效果大于弧矢方向,从而导致点扩散函数包络面在子午方向的放大效果大于弧矢方向,子午方向光学传递函数值的降低效果大于弧矢方向。采用MATLAB以及商用光学软件进行仿真实验,验证了上述结论。     

激光干涉光刻法制作100 nm掩模

 介绍了一种利用激光干涉光刻技术得到特征图形,并通过离子束刻蚀将图形转移到铬层上,从而获得掩模的方法。针对掩模透光率以及对干涉图形对比度可能产生影响的两个参数分别进行了数值仿真,从而证明此方法的可行性和参数的优化选择。自搭干涉光刻实验系统,用257 nm的激光光源实现光刻,得到特征尺寸为100 nm的图形,再经过离子束刻蚀,最终得到周期200 nm、线宽100 nm的掩模。