F-number matching method in light field microscopy using an elastic micro lens array

In light field microscopy (LFM), the F-number of the micro lens array (MLA) should be matched with the image-side F-number of the objective lens to utilize full resolution of an image sensor. We propose a new F-number matching method that can be applied to multiple objective lenses by using an elastic MLA. We fabricate an elastic MLA with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using a micro contact printing method and address the strain for the F-number variation. The strain response is analyzed, and the LFM system with the elastic MLA is demonstrated. Our proposed system can increase the F-number up to 27.3% and can be applied to multiple objective lenses.