Optical elements for enhanced light in-coupling in fiber-coupled imagers

A device, comprising:

• an image system, including:
• a monocentric lens configured to pass through light;
• an image sensor;
• a fiber bundle;
• and
• an optical correction structure including a diffractive optical element located in a region outside a central region at two sides of the optical correction structure that respectively face the monocentric lens and the fiber bundle,
• wherein the optical correction structure is configured such that the diffractive optical element diffracts at least some of the light having passed through the monocentric lens to the fiber bundle,
• wherein the fiber bundle is configured to guide the at least some of the light diffracted by the optical correction structure to the image sensor, and
• wherein the image sensor is configured to generate image signals based at least in part on the at least some of the light from the fiber bundle;
• and
• at least one processor configured to process the image signals to determine an image.

A method for transferring light in a camera, comprising:

• diffracting, using an optical correction structure, at least some of light having passed through a monocentric lens to a fiber bundle, wherein the optical correction structure:
• includes a diffractive optical element located in a region outside a central region at two sides of the optical correction structure that respectively face the monocentric lens and the fiber bundle;
• or
• includes a hole located at the central region of the optical correction structure;
• wherein the optical correction structure is configured to diffract the at least some of light so as to increase light in-coupling between the monocentric lens and the fiber bundle, relative to other light in-coupling that would occur between the monocentric lens and the fiber bundle without diffracting the at least some of light using the optical correction structure;
• and
• transferring, using the fiber bundle, the at least some of light from the optical correction structure to an image sensor.