# Snapshot 3D image projection using a diffractive decoder

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.20464 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.20464/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 19 of its 50 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 23 Dec 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 19 of 19)

- [Fourier Neural Operator for Parametric Partial Differential Equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.08895/) (2020)
- [Misalignment Resilient Diffractive Optical Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.11464/) (2020)
- [Analysis of Diffractive Optical Neural Networks and Their Integration with Electronic Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1810.01916/) (2018)
- [All-Optical Synthesis of an Arbitrary Linear Transformation Using Diffractive Surfaces](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.09833/) (2021)
- [Fourier Imager Network (FIN): A deep neural network for hologram reconstruction with superior external generalization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.10533/) (2022)
- [Universal Linear Intensity Transformations Using Spatially-Incoherent Diffractive Processors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.13037/) (2023)
- [Data class-specific all-optical transformations and encryption](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.12873/) (2022)
- [Class-specific Differential Detection in Diffractive Optical Neural Networks Improves Inference Accuracy](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1906.03417/) (2019)
- [Scale-, shift- and rotation-invariant diffractive optical networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.12747/) (2020)
- [Super-resolution image display using diffractive decoders](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.07281/) (2022)
- [Neural 'Etendue Expander for Ultra-Wide-Angle High-Fidelity Holographic Display](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.08123/) (2021)
- [Polarization Multiplexed Diffractive Computing: All-Optical Implementation of a Group of Linear Transformations Through a Polarization-Encoded Diffractive Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.13482/) (2022)
- [Optical Generative Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.17970/) (2024)
- [All-optical image denoising using a diffractive visual processor](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.09215/) (2023)
- [Multisource Holography](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.10816/) (2023)
- [PAC-FNO: Parallel-Structured All-Component Fourier Neural Operators for Recognizing Low-Quality Images](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.12721/) (2024)
- [Model-free front-to-end training of a large high performance laser neural network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.16943/) (2025)
- [Gaussian Wave Splatting for Computer-Generated Holography](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.06582/) (2025)
- [Model-free Optical Processors using In Situ Reinforcement Learning with Proximal Policy Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.05583/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

3D image display is essential for next-generation volumetric imaging; however, dense depth multiplexing for 3D image projection remains challenging because diffraction-induced cross-talk rapidly increases as the axial image planes get closer. Here, we introduce a 3D display system comprising a digital encoder and a diffractive optical decoder, which simultaneously projects different images onto multiple target axial planes with high axial resolution. By leveraging multi-layer diffractive wavefront decoding and deep learning-based end-to-end optimization, the system achieves high-fidelity depth-resolved 3D image projection in a snapshot, enabling axial plane separations on the order of a wavelength. The digital encoder leverages a Fourier encoder network to capture multi-scale spatial and frequency-domain features from input images, integrates axial position encoding, and generates a unified phase representation that simultaneously encodes all images to be axially projected in a single snapshot through a jointly-optimized diffractive decoder. We characterized the impact of diffractive decoder depth, output diffraction efficiency, spatial light modulator resolution, and axial encoding density, revealing trade-offs that govern axial separation and 3D image projection quality. We further demonstrated the capability to display volumetric images containing 28 axial slices, as well as the ability to dynamically reconfigure the axial locations of the image planes, performed on demand. Finally, we experimentally validated the presented approach, demonstrating close agreement between the measured results and the target images. These results establish the diffractive 3D display system as a compact and scalable framework for depth-resolved snapshot 3D image projection, with potential applications in holographic displays, AR/VR interfaces, and volumetric optical computing.