Exploring the Imaging Physics of Photonic Lanterns
Abstract
Current imaging technologies cannot simultaneously measure phase, amplitude, wavelength, polarization, and arrival time to retrieve maximal information about the target object. An approach that can do so would fundamentally revolutionize imaging. To achieve this, we recognize that photonic lanterns efficiently transform multimode light collected at an image plane into a combination of several single-mode beams. Modal imaging has been the focus of substantial theoretical and computational work in recent years, with computational simulations showing that this approach can realistically achieve more than an order of magnitude better performance than the classical diffraction limit for direct imaging and can, in fact, approach the fundamental Cramer-Rao Lower Bound. Our research effort explores the potential of tailoring the orthogonal modal basis of photonic lantern mode converters to push the fundamental limits of modal imaging. These systems will revolutionize defense sensing, taking existing platforms to higher spatial resolution for 10x improvement in target detection, identification, and tracking precision. At the same time, current performance in these areas would be realized by platforms with 10x smaller linear dimension, and thus 1000x reduction in volume-mass, enabling deployment in scales and environments previously out of reach. By simultaneously adding broadband spectral and polarization capabilities, the ability of defense imaging systems to disambiguate the nature and composition of targets will be similarly enhanced, as will the ability to penetrate deep turbulence and obscuration. Under this proposal, we will explore the structure of the principal modal bases of photonic lanterns, their implications for modal imaging, and the corresponding fundamental limits of imaging information extraction in this new paradigm.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 06, 2025
- Source ID
- FA95502410332
Entities
People
- Stephen S Eikenberry
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Central Florida Board of Trustees