Optical edge detection with adjustable resolution based on cascaded Pancharatnam–Berry lenses

Abstract

We designed a versatile optical edge detection setup with two cascaded Pancharatnam–Berry lenses (PBLs) placed at the Fourier plane of a 4f system. When the two PBLs are parallel and close to each other, owing to the moiré-like effect, one-dimensional edge detection with adjustable resolution is achieved by introducing a transverse displacement of one PBL. Furthermore, two-dimensional edge detection with adjustable resolution can also be realized by tuning the longitudinal distance between the PBLs, and the transverse displacement is exploited to adjust the edge resolution in specified directions. The proposed scheme is verified by a proof-of-principle experiment in which the resolution-adjustable edges of different targets and cells were clearly observed, showing its flexibility and potential application in image processing and high-contrast microscopy.