Single snap-shot double field optical zoom and axially super resolved imaging system

Abstract

This paper presents a non conventional optical imaging system providing two very important features. The first one is related to new way of obtaining optical zooming, i.e. a super resolved imaging at the center of the field of view and yet allowing seeing the remaining of the original field of view with the original resolution. This operation resembles optical zooming while the zoomed and the non zoomed images are obtained simultaneously. This is obtained by taking a single snap shot and using a single imaging lens. The technique utilizes a special static/still coding element and a post processing algorithmic, without any mechanical movements or/and increase of the focal length of the lens module. The second feature is related to extended depth of focus, i.e. axially super resolved imaging where the depth of focus is extended using a binary phase and non diffractive optical mask attached to the entrance pupil of the lens module. The increase in the depth of focus is obtained by all-optical means.