Compact multispectral light field camera based on an inkjet-printed microlens array and color filter array

Abstract

With emerging advanced optical sensing technologies and their wide-ranging applications, gathering comprehensive optical data from real-world scenes is becoming increasingly crucial for their accurate reconstruction and analysis. In order to capture both three-dimensional (3D) spatial and spectral information from a scene, multiple devices or time-intensive scanning processes are often involved. Here, we demonstrate a multispectral light field camera that allows for the simultaneous acquisition of 3D information and spectral data in a single snapshot. By utilizing inkjet printing as the fabrication technology, the miniaturized optical components in the camera were manufactured with high precision and can be integrated into a standard camera housing. Furthermore, the microlens arrays and the color filter arrays were fabricated on the same substrate, and a precise alignment between the two arrays was achieved. The compact multispectral camera opens the door to a multitude of possibilities for mobile applications, ranging from autonomous driving and consumer electronics such as smartphones to medical technology such as endoscopes.