Author(s): Xie, ZL (Xie, Zongliang); Ma, HT (Ma, Haotong); Qi, B (Qi, Bo); Ren, G (Ren, Ge); He, XJ (He, Xiaojun); Dong, L (Dong, Li); Tan, YF (Tan, Yufeng)

Source: OPTICS EXPRESS  Volume: 25  Issue: 17  Pages: 20541-20555  DOI: 10.1364/OE.25.020541  Published: AUG 21 2017  

Abstract: Optical sparse aperture imaging shows great promise for the next generation of high resolution systems. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate an active sparse aperture imaging approach using independent transmitter modulation to digitally overcome phasing errors, correct aberrations, and further improve resolution. The reported imaging scheme consists of a general sparse aperture system and an active illumination unit, specifically an independent pattern projector. A series of raw images are captured with the projector scanned to illuminate the object. Based on the acquired data set, the improved incoherent Fourier ptychographic algorithm is utilized to reconstruct sparse aperture images with distortions removed and contrast enhanced. Furthermore, thanks to illumination pattern modulation, higher resolution beyond the diffraction limit of the synthetic aperture system is gained as a benefit. Good-quality and higher-resolution sparse aperture imagery obtained by employing our proposed technique in both simulation and experiment demonstrates the effectiveness. The reported approach may provide new insights to address the phasing and image restoration problems of sparse aperture systems in the transmitting path rather than only in the receiving path. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America

IDS Number: FF9LN