The objective of the proposed research is to analyze, design, and construct novel imaging systems that are completely constrained to planar or linear form factors. These waveguide-based devices will be extended to passive white-light illumination by applying computational imaging concepts, and their performance will be assessed in real-world environments.
Intellectual merit: The intellectual merit embracing this technology consists of a synergistic combination of novel optics with sophisticated signal processing algorithms. The proposed optical systems utilize waveguides and grating couplers in unconventional ways, and represent a significant challenge in modeling, fabrication, and testing. The signal processing algorithms are uniquely designed to enable the various imaging architectures, and will push the state-of-the-art in the areas of signal recovery, tomographic image reconstruction, and aberration correction. Underpinning these efforts, the fundamental limits of optical throughput, light sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio, resolution, and image space-bandwidth will be assessed, laying a foundation for future planar camera designs.
Broader impacts: The broader impacts are 1) development of new imaging paradigms that enable cameras with extreme form factors, 2) training of graduate students in the cross-disciplinary areas of physical optics and signal processing, 3) augmentation of undergraduate instruction to incorporate interdisciplinary themes, and 4) outreach efforts to enhance K-12 student interest in STEM disciplines.
