Gauging diffraction patterns: field of view and bandwidth estimation in lensless holography

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Holography
• Super-resolution Imaging

Background:

• Lensless holographic imaging offers potential for super-resolution and extended field of view.
• Existing research lacks established theoretical frameworks for determining these parameters.
• Quantifying the field of view and bandwidth is crucial for practical holographic system design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a theoretically grounded assessment of the field of view and bandwidth in lensless holographic setups.
• To establish practical bounds for field of view and bandwidth based on system parameters.
• To address the absence of well-defined rules for super-resolution and field-of-view extrapolation in holography.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis of spatial-frequency bandwidth limitations.
• Investigation of the relationship between wavelength and achievable field of view.
• Development of practical bounds considering noise level and spatiotemporal coherence of the light source.

Main Results:

• Demonstration that theoretical field of view can be significantly large, limited only by wavelength.
• Identification of spatial-frequency bandwidth limitations.
• Proposal of practical constraints for realistic field of view and bandwidth in lensless holographic systems.

Conclusions:

• Lensless holographic systems possess theoretical potential for extensive fields of view and bandwidth.
• Noise and source coherence are critical factors in defining realistic operational parameters.
• The findings provide a foundation for designing more effective lensless holographic imaging systems.