An optical response measuring device is provided with a light source, first and second wavelength conversion elements, and a light intensity sensor array. The light source generates a pair of light beams including light beams of first and second wavelengths. The first wavelength conversion element generates measurement light of a wavelength whose phase is maintained with relative to the pair of light beams incident thereon. The measurement light is irradiated to an object for measurement. The detected light is then made incident on the second wavelength conversion element. Reference light carries the phase of the pair of light beams and light for which the phase is to be determined in the detection light, from which the second wavelength conversion element generates modulated reference light. The modulated reference light is modulated to have first and second local intensities, which are then measured by the light intensity sensor array.

Microscope (2) comprising a coherent light source (4) producing a coherent light beam (7), a light beam guide system (6) comprising a beam splitter (14) configured to split the coherent light beam (7) into a reference beam (7a) and a sample illumination beam (7b), a sample holder (18) configured to hold a sample (1) to be observed, a sample illumination device (28) configured to direct the sample illumination beam (7b) through the sample and into a microscope objective (37), a beam reuniter (16) configured to reunite the reference beam and sample illumination beam after passage of the sample illumination beam through the sample to be observed, and a light sensing system (8) configured to capture at least phase and intensity values of the coherent light beam downstream of the beam reuniter.

Some embodiments are directed to a technique having an off-axis interferometric geometry that is capable of spatially multiplexing at least six complex wavefronts, while using the same number of camera pixels typically needed for a single off-axis hologram encoding a single complex wavefront. Each of the at least six parallel complex wavefronts is encoded into an off-axis hologram with a different fringe orientation, and all complex wavefronts can be fully reconstructed. This technique is especially useful for highly dynamic samples, as it allows the acquisition of at least six complex wavefronts simultaneously, optimizing the amount of information that can be acquired in a single camera exposure. The off-axis multiplexing holographic system of some embodiments provide an off-axis holography modality that is more camera spatial bandwidth efficient than on-axis holography. Moreover, the off-axis interferometric system allows simple simultaneous acquisition of at least six holographic channels, making it attractive for imaging dynamics.

Various optical systems equipped with diode laser light sources are discussed in the present application. One example system includes a diode laser light source for providing a beam of radiation. The diode laser has a spectral output bandwidth when driven under equilibrium conditions. The system further includes a driver circuit to apply a pulse of drive current to the diode laser. The pulse causes a variation in the output wavelength of the diode laser during the pulse such that the spectral output bandwidth is at least two times larger than the spectral output bandwidth under the equilibrium conditions.

The present invention provides a sample inspection and quantitative imaging system and method for performing off-axis interferometric imaging while enabling to record off-axis holograms in an extended field of view (FOV) than possible using a given camera and imaging setup, and thus to enlarge (e.g. double, triple, or even more than this) the interferometric FOV, without changing the imaging parameters, such as the magnification and the resolution.

A device for determining a 3D structure of an object having first and second laser emitters which generate laser radiation with first and second different wavelengths, respectively. A first beam splitter splits the laser radiation of each laser emitter into reference and illuminating radiation. The illuminating radiation is adapted to impinge on the object to be measured, be reflected by the object as object radiation, and interfere with the reference radiation to form interference patterns. A detector receives the interference patterns. A selection hologram deflects object radiation which impinges on it within a predefined incidence angle range and passes object radiation which impinges on it outside of the incidence angle range undiffracted. The undiffracted radiation either passes by the determination area of the detector or impinges on the determination area at an angle outside the determination angle range.

Described herein is a method for examining a coating of a probe surface, including the steps of providing sensing data indicative of a depth of the coating at each of a predetermined subset of probe surface points, determining a depth representation of the coating from the sensing data, and deriving a coating property based on the depth representation. The coating property carries objective information about a geometric constitution or structure of the coating, which can be used for assessing the coating with respect to a functionality that is due to its geometric constitution or structure.

Methods, systems and computer program products for performing visual quality assessment using holographic interferometry are provided. Aspects include obtaining a reference holographic pattern based on a reference object and obtaining a test holographic pattern based on a test object. Aspects also include creating an interference pattern by superimposing the test holographic pattern onto the reference holographic pattern. Aspects further include determining a difference between the reference object and the test object based upon the interference pattern.

Disclosed is an apparatus of analyzing a depth of a holographic image according to the present disclosure, which includes an acquisition unit that acquires a hologram, a restoration unit that restores a three-dimensional holographic image by irradiating the hologram with a light source, an image sensing unit that senses a depth information image of the restored holographic image, and an analysis display unit that analyzes a depth quality of the holographic image, based on the sensed depth information image, and the image sensing unit uses a lensless type of photosensor.

A microscope comprising a coherent light source producing a coherent light beam, a light beam guide system comprising a beam splitter configured to split the coherent light beam into a reference beam and a sample illumination beam, a sample holder configured to hold a sample to be observed, a sample illumination device configured to direct the sample illumination beam through the sample and into a microscope objective, a beam reuniter configured to reunite the reference beam and sample illumination beam after passage of the sample illumination beam through the sample to be observed, and a light sensing system configured to capture at least phase and intensity values of the coherent light beam downstream of the beam reuniter.