Common-path off-axis incoherent Fourier holography with a maximum overlapping interference area.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Holography
• 3D Imaging

Background:

• Traditional holographic recording often requires mechanical scanning and coherent illumination, limiting its practical applications.
• Developing methods for recording three-dimensional (3D) information with incoherent light and without complex setups is crucial for advanced imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a new, simplified method for recording spatially incoherent common-path off-axis Fourier holograms.
• To demonstrate the recording of 3D object information without mechanical scanning.
• To achieve high stability and efficient numerical reconstruction.

Main Methods:

• A common-path configuration using two gratings for off-axis geometry.
• A rotational and radial shearing interferometer created by customized cells.
• Axial shifting of the second grating and beam combination with a lens for maximum overlap at the hologram plane.

Main Results:

• Successful recording of spatially incoherent off-axis Fourier holograms.
• Demonstrated 3D information capture of an object illuminated by LED light.
• Achieved system stability against environmental vibrations and efficient numerical reconstruction using a single fast Fourier transform.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method effectively records 3D information in Fourier holograms using spatially incoherent light and a common-path setup.
• The system is stable, vibration-resistant, and allows for straightforward numerical reconstruction, making it suitable for practical 3D imaging applications.