Spatial mode processing for high-resolution imaging

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media, having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

• configuring a spatial mode sorter to provide, in response to a received input optical signal, a separate output optical signal for each spatial mode in a set of target spatial modes;
• receiving a set of output optical signals from the spatial mode sorter during a detection interval of time;
• processing information based at least in part on the set of output optical signals received in the detection interval of time;
• and
• providing an estimated measurement for discriminating among a first set of two or more predetermined target images based at least in part on information derived from the processing;
• wherein during the detection interval of time, a total number of the output optical signals is greater than two and less than ten.

An apparatus for imaging a distribution of one or more optical sources, the apparatus comprising:

• a spatial mode sorter that is configurable based on a set of target spatial modes onto which an input optical signal is projected;
• and
• a control module configured to:
• configure the spatial mode sorter to provide, in response to a received input optical signal, a separate output optical signal for each spatial mode in the set of target spatial modes;
• receive a set of output optical signals from the spatial mode sorter during a detection interval of time;
• process information based at least in part on the set of output optical signals received in the detection interval of time;
• and
• provide an estimated measurement for discriminating among a first set of two or more predetermined target images based at least in part on information derived from the processing;
• wherein during the detection interval of time, a total number of the output optical signals is greater than two and less than ten.