Optical encryption with full-color single-pixel imaging and a micron-hole array

Driven by the necessity to strengthen information security during data collection and storage, the strategic convergence of computational imaging techniques is swiftly emerging as a dominant trend in the field of optical encryption for data protection. This paper presents a two-layer security framework that combines full-color single-pixel imaging (SPI) with a micron-hole array. The micron-hole array is generated using a deep-learning algorithm and fabricated through lithography. The full-color Fourier SPI system, equipped with a single bucket detector, efficiently collects and encrypts image information. The illumination pattern sequence for SPI, derived from the optical diffraction image of the micron-hole array, imparts inherent physical security to the system. This study meticulously incorporates holographic encryption using a micron-hole array in the entire SPI encoding-decoding process, thus exploiting the complexity of algorithms and the physical non-clonability of components. Both numerical simulations and optical experiments confirm the stability of the framework in terms of encryption and security performance. This paves the way for new perspectives in anti-counterfeiting applications grounded in computational imaging and multi-dimensional optical cryptography, offering potential for practical advancements in the field.