Single-shot extended-depth-of-field Fourier light field microscopy enabled by a distorted grating

To address the fundamental trade-off between depth of field (DOF) and resolution in rapid volumetric microscopy, we present an extended depth-of-field Fourier light-field microscopy (EDOF-FLFM) system based on a distorted phase grating. By introducing Fourier-plane phase modulation, the ±1 st diffraction orders simultaneously capture two axial depths within a single exposure. The captured light-field data are reconstructed using Richardson–Lucy deconvolution to achieve effective DOF extension without degrading lateral resolution. Experiments demonstrate an approximately twofold DOF increase over conventional FLFM in a single snapshot. This method enables large-range snapshot volumetric imaging and provides a novel solution for high-speed three-dimensional microscopy.