Single-shot multispectral imaging with a monochromatic camera

Multispectral imaging plays an important role in many applications from astronomical imaging, earth observation to biomedical imaging. However, the current technologies are complex with multiple alignment-sensitive components, predetermined spatial and spectral parameters by manufactures. Here, we demonstrate a single-shot multispectral imaging technique that gives flexibility to end-users with a very simple optical setup, thank to spatial correlation and spectral decorrelation of speckle patterns. These seemingly random speckle patterns are point spreading functions (PSFs) generated by light from point sources propagating through a strongly scattering medium. The spatial correlation of PSFs allows image recovery with deconvolution techniques, while the spectral decorrelation allows them to play the role of tune-able spectral filters in the deconvolution process. Our demonstrations utilizing optical physics of strongly scattering media and computational imaging present the most cost-effective approach for multispectral imaging with great advantages.