Abstract

In classical optical imaging systems, lenses perform an analog processing function: they bring the image in focus by compensating the quadratic phase error added to the wavefront by free-space propagation. Because of the surface nature of optical wavefronts, such systems can acquire only 2D projections of 3D real objects. Higher-dimensional images (depth in combination with color, time evolution, etc.) require sampling of several intensity distributions, either by mechanical scanning of a single detector or by multiple detectors operating in parallel.

© 1999 Optical Society of America