Snapshot Multispectral Light‐Field Imaging Based on Nematic Liquid‐Crystal Microlens Array via Deep Learning

In this study, a multispectral light‐field imaging system is developed using nematic liquid‐crystal microlens arrays (LC‐MLAs). The system solves the spectral under‐sampling and complex system issues in existing light‐field and spectral cameras. The LC‐MLA is the core optical element of the snapshot imaging system. No dispersion or customized scanning machinery is required to obtain multispectral light fields. Deep learning technology is utilized to reconstruct spectral information from raw data. In the experiments, it is demonstrated that the proposed method efficiently reconstructs multispectral data with 10 nm accuracy in the visible wavelength range of 400–700 nm. The system offers high precision, simple equipment, and relatively low cost without additional dispersion and filtering devices.