Wavefront Line‐Scan Imaging Via a Single‐Pixel Detector

ABSTRACT Wavefront single‐pixel imaging (WSPI) has emerged as a promising approach for simultaneous amplitude and phase reconstruction, especially in spectral wavebands where cameras are immature or even unavailable. However, conventional WSPIs suffer from limited imaging speed & range, and heavy pattern‐data storage. Here, we demonstrate a wavefront line‐scan imaging (WLSI) technique that integrates 1D spatial light modulation with single‐pixel detection, enabling faster imaging in a large rectangular range with minimal pattern‐data storage. A theoretical model is developed and validated by simulations and experiments. A digital micromirror device (DMD) worked in 1D, achieving a modulation rate of 90.9 kHz, enabling line‐scan imaging at 2.8 ms per line without compressive down‐sampling. Consequently, the WLSI achieves over 4‐fold enhancement in imaging speed and significantly reduces the pattern‐data storage to more than 5 orders of magnitude as compared to the WSPI, when reconstructing a wavefront of 256 × 256 pixels at full sampling. The push‐broom WLSI extends the imaging range, enabling continuous acquisition in a long rectangular range. Combining the advantages of WSPI with the flexibility of line‐scan imaging, we offer a potential solution for high‐throughput amplitude and phase imaging of biological samples, defect detection of optical components, wavefront detection in special spectra, etc.