A new metric for imaging systems, the volumetric imaging efficiency (VIE), is introduced. It compares the compactness and capacity of an imager against fundamental limits imposed by diffraction. Two models are proposed for this fundamental limit based on an idealized thin-lens and the optical volume required to form diffraction-limited images. The VIE is computed for 2,871 lens designs and plotted as a function of FOV; this quantifies the challenge of creating compact, wide FOV lenses. We identify an empirical limit to the VIE given by VIE < 0.920 × 10^{−0.582×FOV} when using conventional bulk optics imaging onto a flat sensor. We evaluate VIE for lenses employing curved image surfaces and planar, monochromatic metasurfaces to show that these new optical technologies can surpass the limit of conventional lenses and yield >100x increase in VIE.

中文翻译：

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体积成像效率：成像系统紧凑性的根本限制

介绍了一种用于成像系统的新指标，即体积成像效率（VIE）。它将成像器的紧凑性和容量与衍射带来的基本极限进行了比较。基于理想化的薄透镜和形成衍射极限图像所需的光学体积，针对此基本极限提出了两种模型。计算了2,871个镜片设计的VIE，并将其绘制为FOV的函数；这量化了制造紧凑，宽视角的镜头所面临的挑战。我们确定了VIE <0.920×10 ^{−0.582×FOV}给定的VIE经验极限当使用常规的大块光学成像到平面传感器上时。我们评估了采用曲面图像表面和平面单色单色表面的镜片的VIE，以表明这些新的光学技术可以超越传统镜片的极限，并且VIE的产量提高100倍以上。