Wavefront Line-Scan Imaging Via a Single-Pixel Detector

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.