A device includes a sensor, a coherent infrared illumination source and optics to direct an infrared reference beam to the sensor. The sensor is positioned to capture an image of an interference signal generated by an interference of the infrared reference beam and a wavelength-shifted exit signal. The wavelength-shifted exit signal propagates through the optics before interfering with the infrared reference beam.

Techniques to improve image quality in holography utilizing lenses made from materials with non-quantized anisotropic electromagnetic properties, such as birefringent materials, to advantageously split an incoming beam of light into two coincident beams with different focal lengths that interfere with one another and thus create holograms free of electro-optical or pixelated devices are disclosed for microscopy and other applications. The use of thin birefringent lenses and single crystal alpha-BBO lenses are introduced. Corresponding systems, methods and apparatuses are described.

A device including a light source, an image sensor, and a holder defining two positions between the light source and the image sensor. Each position is able to receive an object with a view to its observation. An optical system is placed between the two positions. Thus, when an object is placed in a first position, it may be observed, through the optical system, via a conventional microscopy modality. When an object is placed in the second position, it may be observed via a second lensless imagery modality.

A system for lens-free imaging includes a processor in communication with a lens-free image sensor. The processor is programmed to operate the image sensor to obtain a hologram ??. The processor is further programmed to generate, from the hologram, a reconstructed image X and phase W at a focal depth z using an assumption of sparsity.

A cell area extraction unit (241) extracts a cell area in a phase image that is created based on a hologram obtained by in-line holographic microscope (IHM). A background value acquisition unit (242) obtains a background value from phase values at a plurality of positions outside the cell area. An intracellular phase value acquisition unit (243) averages a plurality of phase values on a sampling line set at a position close to the periphery of a cell, while avoiding a central portion in which the phase value may be lowered in the cell area, to obtain an intracellular phase value. A phase change amount calculation unit (244) obtains the difference between the intracellular phase value and the background value. A phase change amount determination unit (245) compares the value of the difference with thresholds in two levels to determine whether the cell is in an undifferentiated state or an undifferentiation deviant state. It is thereby possible to automatically make a correct determination while removing the influence of a theoretical measurement error by IHM.

A method for observing a sample includes illuminating the sample with a light source and forming a plurality of images, by an imager, the images representing the light transmitted by the sample in different spectral bands. From each image, a complex amplitude representative of the light wave transmitted by the sample is determined in a determined spectral band. The method further includes backpropagation of each complex amplitude in a plane passing through the sample, determining a weighting function from the back-propagated complex amplitudes, propagating the weighting function in a plane along which the matrix photodetector extends, updating each complex amplitude, in the plane of the sample, according to the weighting function propagated.

Embodiments described herein relate to a light coupler, a photonic integrated circuit, and a method for manufacturing a light coupler. The light coupler is for optically coupling to an integrated waveguide and for out-coupling a light signal propagating in the integrated waveguide into free space. The light coupler includes a plurality of microstructures. The plurality of microstructures is adapted in shape and position to compensate decay of the light signal when propagating in the light coupler. The plurality of microstructures is also adapted in shape and position to provide a power distribution of the light signal when coupled into free space such that the power distribution corresponds to a predetermined target power distribution. Each of the microstructures forms an optical scattering center. The microstructures are positioned on the light coupler in accordance with a non-uniform number density distribution.

There is provided a device allowing a sample to be observed in a first mode, by lensless imaging using a first sensor. The first mode allows a first image to be obtained, on the basis of which a region of interest of the sample may be identified. The device then allows, via a relative movement, the region of interest to be analyzed using a more precise second mode and in particular using an optical system coupled to a second sensor.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for the generation of images of optical sections of a three-dimensional (3D) volume in space such as an object, scene, or target, comprising: an illumination unit, an optical arrangement for the imaging of the object onto at least one spatially resolving detector, a scanning mechanism for scanning the entire object and a signal processing unit for the implementation of a method for digital reconstruction of a three-dimensional representation of the object from images of said object as obtained by said detector (which may be in a form of a hologram), wherein the optical arrangement includes a diffractive optical element (herein a phase pinhole), realized using a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) configured to mimic an actual physical pinhole, while allowing the formation of a three-dimensional representation for a specific point of interest in said object, such that for each scanning position a single hologram or an image is recorded.

Method for observing a sample comprising the steps of (a) illuminating the sample using a light source, the light source emitting an incident light wave that propagates toward the sample along a propagation axis (Z); (b) acquiring, using an image sensor, an image of the sample, which image is formed in a detection plane; (c) forming a stack of images, called reconstructed images, from the image acquired in step (b), each reconstructed image being obtained by applying, for one reconstruction distance, a numerical propagation operator; and (d) from each image of the stack of images, computing a clearness indicator for various radial positions, each clearness indicator being associated with one radial position and with one reconstruction distance.