High Contrast Ultrathin Light‐Field Camera Using Inverted Microlens Arrays with Metal–Insulator–Metal Optical Absorber

Abstract

Light‐field imaging has attracted much attention in constructing 3D objects with a simple configuration and capturing all the spatial and directional data in a single photographic exposure. Here, an ultrathin light‐field camera (ULFC) for high contrast and high‐resolution light‐field imaging using a metal–insulator–metal optical absorber based inverted microlens arrays (MIM‐iMLA) is reported. A metal–insulator–metal based optical absorber (MIM‐OA) between microlenses exhibits high light absorption in the full visible region, thereby highly blocking microlens crosstalk. The MIM‐iMLA double the image contrast and improve MTF50 by up to 32%, compared to conventional light‐field image. In addition, the MIM‐iMLA substantially reduces an image plane distance and brings the objective lens position closer to the MLA. The ULFC exhibits a short total track length of 5.1 mm, demonstrating high contrast light‐field image acquisition and high accuracy 3D depth map estimation after light‐field rendering. This ultrathin and high contrast light‐field camera can provide a new platform for miniaturized 3D cameras in biomedical applications, biometrics, automated inspection, or mobile camera applications.

Large-Area and Rapid Fabrication of a Microlens Array on a Flexible Substrate for an Integral Imaging 3D Display

“…It usually uses a microlens array (MLA) , to record and reconstruct the light field. The performance of the MLA − is a key factor influencing the 3D display parameters such as the resolution, viewing angle, and depth range.…”

Biologically inspired intraoral camera for multifunctional dental imaging

“…Biological vision in nature provides compelling opportunities for new functionality and small form factors in diverse imaging systems. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] In particular, about one million species of insects possess remarkable features such as wide viewing angle, large depth of field (DOF), low optical aberration, and polarization sensitivity. 8,9 Compound eyes often exhibit a small number of retinula cells in a single channel, called ommatidium.…”

“…[12][13][14] However, the lens systems have technical limitations in low image resolution and complex fabrication processes. Artificial compound eye cameras inspired by Xenos peckii eye mainly used commercialized planar image sensors to comprise delicately defined multiple pixels in a single channel and achieve relatively high image resolution, 7,[15][16][17][18][19] whereas the FOV of these type-cameras still remains narrow.…”

54.2: Invited Paper: Flat Liquid Crystal Microlens Based on Spatially‐variant Photoalignment

“…Taking 3D imaging for example, the plenoptic camera based on MLAs can obtain the light field information of the object through a single shot. With the help of MLA, the camera can record not only the intensity but also the trail of light, allowing the manipulation of the focal points and viewpoints to form holograms of the objects [4]. Traditionally, isotropic polymers or glass are widely employed to produce microlens, which realize focusing function by introducing different optical paths and thus desired phase differences.…”