We designed an optical-digital system that delivers near-diffraction-limited imaging performance with a large depth of field. This system is the standard incoherent optical system modified by a phase mask with digital processing of the resulting intermediate image. The phase mask alters or codes the received incoherent wave front in such a way that the point-spread function and the optical transfer function do not change appreciably as a function of misfocus. Focus-independent digital filtering of the intermediate image is used to produce a combined optical-digital system that has a nearly diffraction limited point-spread function. This high-resolution extended depth of field is obtained through the expense of an increased dynamic range of the incoherent system. We use both the ambiguity function and the stationary-phase method to design these phase masks.

We describe a new paradigm for designing hybrid imaging systems. These imaging systems use optics with a special aspheric surface to code the image so that the point-spread function or the modulation transfer function has specified characteristics. Signal processing then decodes the detected image. The coding can be done so that the depth of focus can be extended. This allows the manufacturing tolerance to be reduced, focus-related aberrations to be controlled, and imaging systems to be constructed with only one optical element plus some signal processing.

We report experimental verification of an extended depth of focus (EDF) system with near-diffraction-limited performance capabilities. Dowski and Cathey [Appl. Opt. 34, 1859-1866 (1995)] described the theory of this system in detail. We can create an EDF system by modifying a standard incoherent optical system with a special cubic phase plate placed at the aperture stop. We briefly review the theory and present the first optical experimental verification of this EDF system. The phase plate codes the wave front, producing a modified optical transfer function. Once the image is transformed into digital form, a signal-processing step decodes the image and produces the final in-focus image. We have produced a number of images from various optical systems using the phase plate, thus demonstrating the success of this EDF system.

We present a new application and current results for extending depth of field using wave front coding. A cubic phase plate is used to code wave fronts in microscopy resulting in extended depths of field and inexpensive chromatic aberration control. A review of the theory behind cubic phase plate extended depth of field systems is given along with the challenges that are face when applying the theory to microscopy. Current results from the new extended depth of field microscope systems are shown.

Traditional methods of optical design trade optical system complexity for image quality. High quality imagers often require high system complexity. A new imaging methodology called Wavefront Coding uses aspheric optics and signal processing in order to reduce system complexity and deliver high quality imagery. An example in terms of a conformal IR imaging system is given.