Mid-infrared snapshot spectral imaging via nonlinear radial dispersion

Mid-infrared spectral imaging provides chemically specific contrast through molecular vibrational fingerprints, yet snapshot acquisition remains severely limited by the lack of high-sensitivity detectors and efficient spectral encoding mechanisms. Here we introduce snapshot MIR spectral imaging based on intrinsic nonlinear radial dispersion, in which wavelength-dependent phase matching simultaneously enables frequency upconversion and spectral multiplexing. Different spectral components are mapped to distinct output angles within a 4f imaging architecture, enabling single-shot spectral encoding without external dispersive elements. In combination with speckle illumination encoding, spectral information is compressed and recovered without additional coding components. Leveraging nonlinear upconversion to the visible, the approach achieves room-temperature MIR spectral imaging with sensitivity approaching 1 photon/pixel/pulse across a broad spectral range from 2.5 to 4.0 μm. This work transforms spectral encoding from an external optical function into an inherent property of the nonlinear imaging process, providing a general route to high-sensitivity snapshot MIR spectral imaging.