Computational imaging based on single-photon detection: a survey

The rapid advancements in single-photon detectors with picosecond timing resolution over the past decade have significantly driven the development of time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) for computational imaging applications, including bioimaging and remote sensing. In this review, we utilize the CiteSpace tool to create knowledge maps and perform a bibliometric analysis of this research area. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive overview of the key challenges associated with computational imaging using temporal single-photon counting. We also highlight how these challenges have been addressed under extreme conditions to establish a reference model for future imaging solutions. We examine the performance evaluation parameters of single-photon detectors to enhance the understanding of detector array scaling and their application in constructing efficient computational imaging systems. Lastly, we aim to elucidate the current technical challenges in single-photon detector-based computational imaging and explore their potential future developments.