Sensor-realistic simulation of images in diffraction-limited imaging systems

Optical imaging is the building block of different measurement systems, whose imaging quality is influenced by many factors including the choice of imaging parameters, optics, and the imaging sensor. Realistic simulations can therefore be very beneficial for automatic optimization of such degrees of freedom. In this paper, we present a physically-based model for the image formation consisting of three parts: geometrical light transport simulation using available computer graphics methods, introducing lens imaging effects using Fourier optics, and integration of the EMVA 1288 sensor data. The proposed model has been utilized for simulating the images with speckle interference patterns caused by emitting a laser line on a metal surface. The agreement of the simulations with real images demonstrates that the model can produce accurate approximations to the real images, especially for diffraction-limited systems. We also discuss the simulation process for both coherent and incoherent imaging cases to simulate imaging systems having one or both types of illuminations