Single-Shot Electromagnetic Phase Imaging with Random Scattering

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electromagnetic wave imaging technologies face challenges in achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio and low invasiveness to the imaging object due to the weakening of scattered waves by scattering plates, leading to increased noise and potential harm to the imaging object.

Innovation Solution

An electromagnetic wave phase/amplitude generation device that uses a scattering plate with a random radiation pattern to radiate electromagnetic waves to an imaging object, allowing for direct detection of scattered light by an imaging element, which generates complex amplitude information through an arithmetic sparsity constraint operation, thereby enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio and reducing invasiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a scattering plate is used to radiate electromagnetic waves to an imaging object, then complex amplitude information can be generated from a single captured image, but the scattered electromagnetic waves are weakened leading to decreased signal-to-noise ratio and increased noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging speedVSAvoidsignal-to-noise ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a scattering plate as an intermediary element that modulates the electromagnetic waves before they interact with the imaging object. The scattering plate creates a random radiation pattern that encodes spatial information, allowing the imaging system to recover complex amplitude information through computational processing of the scattered waves, thus enabling single-shot imaging while managing the signal weakening issue through algorithmic compensation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the radiation pattern parameters by using a scattering plate to create spatially varying intensity distributions. By controlling the statistical properties of the scattering medium and using iterative optimization algorithms, the system recovers phase and amplitude information from intensity-only measurements, effectively transforming the measurement parameters from direct complex amplitude to intensity with computational recovery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the state of electromagnetic waves radiated to the imaging object is strengthened to compensate for weakening by the scattering plate, then signal strength is improved, but invasiveness to the imaging object increases and may adversely affect the imaging object

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal strengthVSAvoidinvasiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by using a scattering plate that only partially modulates the electromagnetic waves rather than completely blocking or intensely focusing them. The scattering medium provides statistical redistribution of wave energy that is sufficient for information recovery without requiring excessive intensity enhancement, thus avoiding adverse effects on the imaging object while still enabling complex amplitude reconstruction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The device achieves a high signal-to-noise ratio and low invasiveness by directly detecting scattered light, allowing for accurate phase and amplitude imaging without damaging the imaging object, and can generate complex amplitude information in a single imaging process, even with lower resolution imaging elements.

Implementation Method 1

a scattering plate having a random pattern in which a magnitude for attenuating the electromagnetic waves differs according to each region

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScattering: Scattering

Data Source

PatentEP3499201B1Electromagnetic wave phase/amplitude generation device, electromagnetic wave phase/amplitude generation method, and electromagnetic wave phase/amplitude generation program
Publication Date: 2022.12.07 OSAKA UNIVERSITY
  • EP3499201B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3499201B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3499201B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electromagnetic wave phase/amplitude generation device includes a radiation unit configured to radiate electromagnetic waves of a random radiation pattern on a spatial frequency in which a state of the electromagnetic waves to be radiated for each divided region is determined to an imaging object, an imaging unit configured to generate a captured image by imaging scattered electromagnetic waves that are electromagnetic waves generated when the imaging object scatters the electromagnetic waves of the radiation pattern radiated by the radiation unit, and a generation unit configured to generate information indicating at least a phase and amplitude of the electromagnetic waves from the imaging object by performing an arithmetic sparsity constraint operation according to sparsity of the imaging object on the basis of the captured image generated by the imaging unit, information indicating the radiation pattern, and information indicating a signal of the imaging object.