Functionally integrated waveguide illuminator for common-path digital holographic microscopy through random media

We designed and fabricated a functionally integrated optical waveguide illuminator specially for common-path digital holographic microscopy through random media. The waveguide illuminator creates two point sources with desired phase shifts, which are located close to one another so that the common-path condition of the object and reference illumination is satisfied. Thereby, the proposed device permits phase-shift digital holographic microscopy free from bulky optical elements such as a beam splitter, an objective lens, and a piezoelectric transducer for phase shifting. Using the proposed device, microscopic 3D imaging through a highly heterogeneous double-composite random medium was experimentally demonstrated by means of common-path phase-shift digital holography.