Two-dimensional temporal coherence coding for super resolved imaging through single mode fiber

In this paper we present an approach that can be used for transmission of 2-D spatial information through space-limited systems such as a single mode fiber (SMF) capable of transmitting only a single spatial pixel. The input 2-D object is illuminated with temporally incoherent illumination. The axial coherence length is very short and it equals only a few microns. Attached to the input object spatial random phase mask generates different axial shift for every pixel of the input. The temporal delays of the encoding (axial shifts) of every pixel are longer than the coherence length of the illuminating source. Therefore no temporal correlation exists between the various pixels of the input. A lens combines all spatial pixels into one point at its focal plane. The light is coupled into an SMF and is transmitted to a short distance. Although the various spatial pixels were mixed together, since the random mask provided axial delay which was larger than the coherence length of the light source, the orthogonality between the spatial content of every pixel is preserved. The decoding system includes a lens that is positioned at the output of the fiber and it converts the output light into a plane wave containing all the spatial information of the original image mixed together in all of its pixels. By interfering this plane wave with the same plane wave after passing through the same random spatial coding mask, the spatial information of every pixel of the input object is recovered.