Single-shot multispectral imager using spatially multiplexed Fourier spectral filters

We demonstrate a single-shot multispectral imaging system using a fundamentally different approach compared with present-day methods. Conventional multispectral imagers utilize narrowband spectral filters, which makes the system application-specific. By using filters with sinusoidally varying transmittance, known as Fourier filters, we demonstrate an application-agnostic multispectral system. We designed and fabricated this Fourier filter array, integrated it with a commercial CCD image sensor, and acquired and reconstructed the spectral information from multiple targets. Compared with narrowband multispectral imagers, this system generalizes well to applications where we lack a priori knowledge of the spectral content of the scene, which makes it a versatile acquisition device for a wide range of applications.