Imaging scenes with a high dynamic range (HDR) of light intensities is critical for applications such as biomedical imaging, astronomical observation, and industrial automation, where accurate detection of both bright and dark regions is essential for precise analysis and decision-making. In this paper, we propose an HDR imaging approach harnessing optical forward scattering effect that breaks the limitations of image processing type. Our approach integrates a nonlinear deconvolution method based on speckle background noise estimation, along with Cross-correlation and Laplacian pyramid fusion method, to improve imaging precision and adaptability. By utilizing a digital micromirror device and a scattering diffuser, we develop a proof-of-concept experimental system, validating the effectiveness of reconstruction of faint details in HDR scenes. This method achieves dynamic range expansion from a 130.01 dB HDR scene using a detector with an 88.5 dB dynamic range, achieving a 119-fold intensity difference. Our work demonstrates a promising new solution for HDR imaging in demanding lighting environments, which could expand the scope of photoelectronic imaging application.

The speckle correlation technique (SCT), a noninvasive scattering imaging technique, has attracted widespread attention but is limited by the requirement of narrowband illumination. To address this drawback, we propose a broadband scattering imaging method based on speckle frequency refinement, which can effectively extract the useful components of speckle under broadband illumination. We verified its effectiveness through experiments with 10–400 nm bandwidth illumination. Notably, even under 400 nm bandwidth illumination, comparable to white light, the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) of the reconstruction by our method can stay above 0.6. This method can reconstruct the object using single-shot broadband speckles, demonstrating its potential advantages in practical applications. © 2026 Chinese Optics Letters

High-resolution infrared remote sensing imaging is critical in planetary exploration, especially under demanding engineering conditions. However, due to diffraction, the spatial resolution of conventional methods is relatively low, and the spatial bandwidth product limits imaging systems’ design. Extensive research has been conducted with the aim of enhancing spatial resolution in remote sensing using a multi-aperture structure, but obtaining high-precision co-phase results using a sub-aperture remains challenging. A new high-resolution imaging method utilizing multi-aperture joint-encoding Fourier ptychography (JEFP) is proposed as a practical means to achieve super-resolution infrared imaging using distributed platforms. We demonstrated that the JEFP approach achieves pixel super-resolution with high efficiency, without requiring subsystems to perform mechanical scanning in space or to have high position accuracy. Our JEFP approach extends the application scope of Fourier ptychographic imaging, especially in distributed platforms for planetary exploration applications.