Universal framework enables synthesis of arbitrary, spatially varying, custom 3D point spread functions for advanced imaging

https://phys.org/news/2025-06-universal-framework-enables-custom-3d.html

"snapshot 3D multispectral imaging without spectral filters, axial scanning, digital reconstruction, phase masks at pupil plane constraining complexity/ mathematical representation... engineering through passive surface series optimized using deep learning, forming physical diffractive optical processors approximating any linear transformation between 3D optical intensity distributions in input/ output volumes... compact multispectral imagers, high-throughput 3D microscopy platforms, optical data encoding/ transmission"