Spectral resolution of light field spectral imaging system under diffraction model

A light field camera has a powerful and unique capability of light-ray collection and post-processing of data. In this paper, we describe a micro-lens-array-based approach to acquire the light field, with the added utility provided by simultaneous placement of linear variable filters (LVF) directly in the camera’s pupil plane. The new imaging spectrometer is capable of collecting the spectral segment information in the entire spectral range through only one exposure. Owing to the potential application of spectral detection, interest in the spectrum detection ability of the system is on the rise. As pixel sizes are reduced, consideration of diffraction effects in the system becomes increasingly important. We discuss a light field spectral imaging system and its wave propagation analysis. Then, we simulate a system response using our diffraction model and discuss the spectral resolution calibration with the application of the system model. In addition, the spectral resolution of the light field spectral imaging system is tested using the monochromator method; the results are found to be in good agreement with the simulation results.