Invasive imaging through thin scattering layer using special beams with temporal coherence and spatial incoherence

Imaging through scattering layers remains a significant challenge in optical imaging applications such as biomedical imaging and remote sensing. In this research work, we present an extensive experimental investigation on imaging through thin scattering layers using a diverse set of Spatially Structured Optical Beams (SSOBs) generated under an illumination source characterized by temporal coherence and spatial incoherence. The proposed method, referred to as Computational Imaging Through Scatterers using SSOB (CITS-SSOB), first evaluates the imaging behavior of various SSOBs along depth in the absence of scatterers. The study is then extended to scatterers of increasing strengths, where object information is encoded onto the SSOBs and propagated through the scatterers of different scattering strengths to assess their ability to preserve and transmit spatial features. Under each condition, a point spread function is recorded and processed, along with the measured response to object intensity, using a deconvolution-based reconstruction method to recover the object information. Experimental results, supported by quantitative metrics such as root mean square error and entropy, indicate that while CITS-SSOB can retain object information to a certain extent, the fidelity of the reconstructed images diminishes as the scattering strength increases. These findings provide valuable insights into the use of engineered SSOBs for computational imaging in scattering environments, demonstrating the potential of CITS-SSOB for future imaging applications through scattering media.