Single-Pixel Multimode Fiber Spectrometer via Wavefront Shaping

When light passes through a multimode fiber, two-dimensional random intensity patterns are formed due to complex interference within the fiber. The extreme sensitivity of speckle patterns to the frequency of light paved the way for high-resolution multimode fiber spectrometers. However, this approach requires expensive IR cameras and impedes the integration of spectrometers on-chip. In this study, we propose a single-pixel multimode fiber spectrometer by exploiting wavefront shaping. The input light is structured with the help of a spatial light modulator, and optimal phase masks, focusing light at the distal end of the fiber, are stored for each wavelength. Variation of the intensity in the focused region is recorded by scanning all wavelengths under fixed optimal masks. Based on the intensity measurements, we show that an arbitrary input spectrum having two wavelengths 20 pm apart from each other can be reconstructed successfully (with a reconstruction error of ∼3%) in the near-infrared regime, corresponding to a resolving power of R ≈ 10⁵. We also demonstrate the reconstruction of broadband continuous spectra with varying bandwidths. With the installation of a single-pixel detector, our method provides compact detection and a lower budget alternative to conventional systems, with potential promise to operate at low-signal levels.