Extended depth of field through an axicon

One of the main disadvantages of imaging systems is the limited depth of field. We present the ability of a refractive axicon for imaging with an extended depth of field. We design an imaging system with a two-step imaging approach that uses a CCD camera to capture intermediate images and uses a digital process to obtain the final images. The depth of field is analyzed based on the condition of the focal segment. In particular, the point spread functions (PSFs) are discussed in simulation in detail. The performed experiments validate the effect and feasibility of the axicon for imaging with an extending depth of field.