Briefly stated, technologies are generally described for providing a computer-generated holography (CGH). Example devices/systems described herein may use one or more of a server device and/or a client device. The server device may be configured to provide CGH data to a client device including a holographic image display unit. The server device may receive information on the holographic image display unit from the client device, calculate the CGH data from three-dimensional image data and the information on the holographic image display unit, and/or transmit the CGH data to the client device. The client device may be configured to provide a holographic image. The client device may reconstruct the holographic image on the holographic image display unit using CGH data and a reconstruction beam, transmit information on the holographic image display unit to the server device, and/or receive the CGH data from the server device.

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.

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.

A method, an interferometer, and a signal processing device, each for determining an input phase and/or an input amplitude of an input light field, are disclosed. Here, an input light field is divided into a first light field and a second light field by amplitude splitting. The first light field and the second light field are propagated such that the propagated second light field is defocused relative to the propagated first light field. The propagated first light field is superimposed on the propagated light field and caused to interfere.

A digital holographic apparatus includes a first hologram generating unit that generates a first hologram by causing first object light in a first observation direction to interfere with first reference light, the first object light being generated by irradiating an observation object with light having a first wavelength, the first reference light being derived from the light having the first wavelength; a second hologram generating unit that generates a second hologram by causing second object light in a second observation direction that differs from the first observation direction to interfere with second reference light, the second object light being generated by irradiating the observation object with light having a second wavelength, the second reference light being derived from the light having the second wavelength; a first image capturing unit that captures the first hologram; and a second image capturing unit that captures the second hologram.

An image pixel array captures and infrared image of an interference between an imaging signal and a reference wavefront. A display pixel array generates an infrared holographic imaging signal and the image pixel array receives the infrared imaging signal through the display pixel array.

A method of analyzing a sample receiving a particle of interest, including: defining a reference point located on a first interface of the sample, or at a known distance from the sample, along the optical axis of the optical system; acquiring a reference image transmission of the sample, the object plane of the optical system being located at a known distance from the reference point along an axis parallel to the optical axis of the optical system, and the particle of interest being located outside of the object plane; using the reference image, digitally constructing a series of reconstructed images, each associated with a predetermined offset of the object plane along the optical axis of the optical system; and using the series of reconstructed images, determining the distance along an axis parallel to the optical axis of the optical system, between the particle of interest and the reference point.

A holographic characterization and playback apparatus is provided, which includes a light source, an optical path-forming optical system for separating the light emitted from the light source into a probe light and a reference light of different polarizations, and combining optical paths of the probe light and the reference light.

Provided are on-axis and off-axis digital hologram generating device and method.

The on-axis and off-axis digital hologram generating device includes a controller and an input window configured to receive user input of hologram property information. The controller is configured to access a phase file of an object stored in a storage device, convert the phase file of the object into object phase information in a useable form, generate digital object light information based on a light property of object light input by a user and the converted object phase information, and generate a digital hologram based on (i) the received hologram property information, (ii) the generated digital object light information, and (iii) digital reference light information inputted by a user.

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.