Photon-limited single-pixel imaging

Photon-limited imaging technique is desired in tasks of capturing and reconstructing images by detecting a small number of photons. However, it is still a challenge to achieve high photon-efficiency. Here, we propose a novel photon-limited imaging technique that explores the consistency of photon detection probability in a single pulse and light intensity distribution in a single-pixel correlated imaging system. We demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that our technique can reconstruct a high-quality 3D image by using only one pulse each frame, thereby achieving a high photon efficiency of 0.01 detected photons per pixel. Long-distance field experiments for 100 km cooperative target and 3 km practical target are conducted to verify its feasibility. Compared with the conventional single-pixel imaging, which requires hundreds or thousands of pulses per frame, our technique saves two orders of magnitude in the consumption of total light power and acquisition time.