Improved resolution three-dimensional integral imaging using optimized irregular lens-array structure.

A rigorous approach is proposed to improve the resolution of integral imaging (InI) by finding the appropriate form of irregularity in the arrangement of the InI lenslets. The improvement of the resolution is achieved through redistribution of the sampling points in a uniform manner. The optimization process for finding the optimum pattern of the lens-array irregularity is carried out by minimizing a cost function, whose mathematical closed-form expression is provided. The minimization of the proposed cost function ensures the uniform distribution of sampling points and thus improves the resolution within the desired depth of field (DOF) and field of view (FOV). A set of standard resolution charts is used to demonstrate the improvement of the quality of the three-dimensional (3D) images obtained by using the optimized irregular lens array. It is shown that the overall level of the lateral and depth resolutions is improved at the same time.