An ultra high-resolution near infrared brain imager system includes a modular cap housing closely spaced multiple vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser-single-photon avalanche photodiode array (VCSEL-SPAD) modules, each one of the VCSEL-SPAD modules including a linear VCSEL array and a SPAD detector.

An optical detection device includes a light source emitting a light beam whose electromagnetic field, a means adapted to divide the beam into a first beam defining a first reference pathway and a second beam defining a second sample pathway, a modulation system frequency-shifting the electromagnetic fields of the two beams, a beam coupler adapted to collect the beams, an optical detection system adapted to detect the signal arising from the interference between the beams and coupled via the coupler, the sample being placed in the sample pathway, the optical detection system comprising an optical detector and a device adapted to measure the amplitude and the phase of the signal, an opaque screen comprising an optical aperture is placed at the level of a zone of a sample, in proximity to the sample, in the sample pathway.

The present invention can realize both a transmission type and a reflection type, and provides a holographic microscope which can exceed the resolution of the conventional optical microscope, a hologram data acquisition method for a high-resolution image, and a high-resolution hologram image reconstruction method. In-line spherical wave reference light (L) is recorded in a hologram (I.sub.LR) using spherical wave reference light (R), and an object light (O.sup.j) and an illumination light (Q.sup.j) are recorded in a hologram (I.sup.j.sub.OQR) using a spherical wave reference light (R) by illuminating the object with an illumination light (Q.sup.j, j=1, . . . , N) which is changed its incident direction. From those holograms, a hologram (J.sup.j.sub.OQL), from which the component of the reference light (R) is removed, is generated, and from the hologram, a light wave (h.sup.j) is generated. A light wave (c.sup.j) of the illumination light (Q.sup.j) is separated from the light wave (h.sup.j), and using its phase component (.sup.j=c.sup.j/|c.sup.j|), a phase adjustment reconstruction light wave is derived and added up as (H.sub.P=h.sup.j/.sup.j), and an object image (S.sub.P=|H.sub.P|.sup.2) is reconstructed.

Methods, systems, and devices for particle characterization by optical phase modulation and detection of aerosol backscattering. In some aspects, a compact and cost effective particle detector device to measure the aerosol density and its size distribution by backscattered focusing using projected optical modified field distribution imaging into the aerosol medium (air). The disclosed device can be used in a variety of scientific and industrial applications, e.g., such as a particle sensor for automobiles able to detect harmful pollution which may then be filtered from the car cabin, or warnings provided to the driver. The device can also capture and store data, enabling detailed pollution maps of various roadways in real-time.

A system for performing quantitative phase-contrast confocal microscopy includes a light source that emits light, a first beam splitter that splits the emitted light into an illumination path and a hologram path, means provided along the illumination path for delivering a first part of the emitted light to an object as a collimated line, a light sensor that captures light reflected off of the object to obtain an intensity image for the collimated line, and means provided along the hologram path for delivering a second part of the emitted light to the light sensor at an off-axis angle to obtain an off-axis hologram for the collimated line.

A method for digital holographic microtomography comprises (a) providing at least one wavefront controlling device for driving a sample to be rotated and/or an incident beam scanning the sample, (b) utilizing a digital holographic access unit for recording the transmitted or reflected wavefronts of the sample, (c) utilizing a digital holography reconstructing method for reconstructing the transmitted or reflected wavefronts of the sample, and (d) utilizing a tomographic reconstruction approach for reconstructing three dimensional image information of the sample.

A holographic 3D recording device includes: a photorefractive crystal and a microlens array. The microlens array includes an array face and a side face. The microlens array is provided in a light path from an object to be photographed to the photorefractive crystal such that first light of object emitted through a diffuse reflection of the object to be photographed passes through the array face of the microlens array and becomes second light of object that is emitted to the photorefractive crystal. The photorefractive crystal is configured to receive the second light of object emitted by the microlens array and reference light, respectively, and save therein an interference fringe formed by the reference light and the second light of object. The first light of object and the reference light are coherent light.

Provided is a digital holographic imaging apparatus, comprising: an illumination portion (10) having an illumination light emission surface (32i) for emitting coherent light of a specific wavelength as illumination light toward an object (1) side relative to the illumination light emission surface (32i), and a reference light emission surface (32r) for emitting the coherent light, as reference light, in a direction opposite to the illumination light; and an image sensor (50) located on the reference light emission surface (32r) side of the illumination portion (10) and imaging an interference pattern between object light having been modulated by the object (1) and passed through the illumination portion (10) and the reference light of the illumination light, the image sensor (50) having a pixel array (51) comprising two-dimensionally aligned pixels.

A manufacturing method of an optical element applied to a miniature microscope includes the steps of: emitting a signal light and a reference light to an optical material; and forming a plurality of gratings on the optical material by interfering the signal light and the reference light. A miniature microscope is also disclosed.

Example apparatuses and methods relating to imaging systems are provided. An example imaging system may include an optical source configured to generate an optical beam, a beam splitter configured to split the optical beam into a reference beam and an object beam, and a beam combiner configured to route a combined beam with reference beam and object beam components along a common path into a target medium. In this regard, the target medium may act upon the combined beam to form a common path interference beam. The example imaging system may further include an imaging sensor configured to receive the common path interference beam and generate common path interference beam data associated with the common path interference beam, and an image data processor configured to analyze the common path interference beam data to generate image data describing the target medium.