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For those interested in various approaches to lens-free imaging, Laura Waller at Berkeley has been pursuing this area for some time.

Note the difference between a "diffuser" and a "diffusion model" here.

The article mentions the use of a diffractive mask. This can be very generally associated with an optical diffuser in its function.

And yes, Laura Waller at UC Berkeley has been one of the pioneers in this research for a few decades.