Ultrathin Light-Field Imaging Film Yields Vivid 3D Images

Soochow University researchers developed an ultrathin film based on light-field imaging — a technology that creates 3D images by capturing the direction and intensity of all light rays in a scene. The 25-µm-thick film, which is made with low-cost materials, provides a glass-free approach to 3D imaging and offers a full field of view. It produces 3D images that are viewable under normal light and without the need for special reading devices. According to the researchers, the algorithm and nanopatterning technique used to make the film could be extended to other applications. For example, the nanopatterns could be created on a transparent display screen instead of a film. In addition to the reflective light-field...