Mid-infrared single-pixel imaging via two-photon optical encoding

Huijie Ma; Kun Huang; Jianan Fang; Ziyu He; Yan Liang; Heping Zeng

doi:10.1186/s43074-025-00195-2

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Huijie Ma, Kun Huang, Jianan Fang, Ziyu He, Yan Liang, Heping Zeng. Mid-infrared single-pixel imaging via two-photon optical encoding[J]. PhotoniX. doi: 10.1186/s43074-025-00195-2

Citation:

Huijie Ma, Kun Huang, Jianan Fang, Ziyu He, Yan Liang, Heping Zeng. Mid-infrared single-pixel imaging via two-photon optical encoding[J]. PhotoniX. doi: 10.1186/s43074-025-00195-2

Huijie Ma, Kun Huang, Jianan Fang, Ziyu He, Yan Liang, Heping Zeng. Mid-infrared single-pixel imaging via two-photon optical encoding[J]. PhotoniX. doi: 10.1186/s43074-025-00195-2

Citation:

Huijie Ma, Kun Huang, Jianan Fang, Ziyu He, Yan Liang, Heping Zeng. Mid-infrared single-pixel imaging via two-photon optical encoding[J]. PhotoniX. doi: 10.1186/s43074-025-00195-2

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Mid-infrared single-pixel imaging via two-photon optical encoding

doi: 10.1186/s43074-025-00195-2

Huijie Ma¹,
Kun Huang^{1, 2, 3},
Jianan Fang^{1, 2},
Ziyu He¹,
Yan Liang⁴,
Heping Zeng^{1, 2, 5, 6}

1.
State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy, and Hainan Institute, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
2.
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Precision Optics, Chongqing Institute of East China Normal University, Chongqing, 401121, China
3.
Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
4.
School of Optical Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, China
5.
Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, Shanghai, 201315, China
6.
Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guangyang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, 400064, China

Funds: Shanghai Pilot Program for Basic Research (TQ20220104), National Natural Science Foundation of China (62175064, 62235019, 62035005), Innovation Program for Quantum Science and Technology (2023ZD0301000), Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (2019SHZDZX01); Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing (CSTB2023NSCQ-JQX0011, CSTB2022TIAD-DEX0036), China Post doctoral Science Foundation (2024M760918, 2025T180224).

Received Date: 2025-06-05
Accepted Date: 2025-09-02
Rev Recd Date: 2025-07-23

Available Online: 2025-09-29

Abstract

Abstract

Mid-infrared (MIR) imaging offers powerful capabilities for label-free chemical analysis, yet its practical deployment remains hindered by the high cost and cryogenic complexity of conventional cameras. Two-photon absorption (TPA) provides a promising route to room-temperature MIR detection, but existing TPA imagers based on raster scanning or array detectors are constrained by slow acquisition speed or limited detection sensitivity. Here we present a scanning-free MIR single-pixel imaging approach based on non-degenerate TPA in a silicon detector. The involved spatial encoding is realized by a near-infrared structured pump with a resolution of 7 \(\mu\)m, thus allowing high-fidelity MIR optical modulation through the phase-matching-free nonlinear interaction. Consequently, the spatially modulated TPA response is intrinsically integrated in the single-element photodetector, which favors computational reconstruction of the impinging MIR image by correlating measured intensities and predetermined patterns. Notably, the use of advanced algorithms of compressed sensing and deep learning facilitate image recovery under sub-Nyquist sampling with a compression ratio of 10% and photon-starved illumination with an incident light flux of 0.5 pJ/pulse. Furthermore, a multispectral imaging over 2.5-3.8 \(\mu\)m is manifested for chemical discrimination of plastic films. The presented architecture would offer a broadband and sensitive alternative for MIR imaging in various fields ranging from biomedical diagnostics to material inspection.
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- Mid-infrared imaging')">" data-track="click" data-track-action="view keyword" data-track-label="link">Mid-infrared imaging,
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- Single-pixel imaging')">" data-track="click" data-track-action="view keyword" data-track-label="link">Single-pixel imaging,
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References(51)

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