Optical Imaging Using a Scattering Lens

Abstract

"Turbidity" caused by multiple light scattering distorts the propagation of waves and, thus, undermines optical imaging.For example, translucent biological tissues exhibiting optical turbidity have posed limitations on the imaging depth and energy transmission. Here, we introduce a novel method called turbid lens imaging (TLI) that records the transmission matrix of a scattering medium and characterizes the input-output response of the medium. The knowledge of this transmission matrix allows us to find an incident wave from the distorted transmitted wave. Therefore, the transmission matrix converts the highly complex medium into useful imaging optics. We demonstrate that the image distortion caused by a scattering medium can be eliminated by using a transmission matrix and that a clean object image can be retrieved as a result. We extend TLI to imaging through a multimode optical fiber, which is also a scattering medium, and demonstrate endoscopic imaging by using a single multimode optical fiber itself as a lens. Our method of using multiple light scattering will lay the foundation for advancing optical bio-imaging methods.