Recent works have applied diffraction-based wave propagation for compressive imaging applications. In this Letter, we derive the theoretical bounds on the performance of compressive imaging systems based on Fresnel wave propagation, and we show that it is related to the imaging sensor's physical attributes, illumination wavelength, and working distance.

A broadband-corrected optical telescope has been constructed from a photon sieve with five million holes. Through careful optimization of hole size, this "antihole" sieve has holes centered on the dark underlying Fresnel zones. The diffraction-limited performance of a 1 m focal-length, f/10 element is demonstrated with a view toward constructing large lightweight telescopes for space applications.