Quantitative interferometric microscopy with two dimensional Hilbert transform based phase retrieval method

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 383; pp. 537 - 544
• Main Authors: Wang, Shouyu, Yan, Keding, Xue, Liang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.01.2017
• Subjects: Phase retrieval; Quantitative interferometric microscopy; Two dimensional Hilbert transform; Two dimensional Hilbert transform; Quantitative interferometric microscopy; Phase retrieval
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2016.10.008

In order to obtain high contrast images and detailed descriptions of label free samples, quantitative interferometric microscopy combining with phase retrieval is designed to obtain sample phase distributions from fringes. As accuracy and efficiency of recovered phases are affected by phase retrieval methods, thus approaches owning higher precision and faster processing speed are still in demand. Here, two dimensional Hilbert transform based phase retrieval method is adopted in cellular phase imaging, it not only reserves more sample specifics compared to classical fast Fourier transform based method, but also overcomes disadvantages of traditional algorithm according to Hilbert transform which is a one dimensional processing causing phase ambiguities. Both simulations and experiments are provided, proving the proposed phase retrieval approach can acquire quantitative sample phases with high accuracy and fast speed. •2D Hilbert transform based approach is adopted in quantitative interferometric microscopy (QIM) for cellular phase imaging.•Compared with FFT and HT methods, it not only retains more sample details, but also avoids ambiguities.•High speed fringe direction computation based on gradient and pixel shifting wrapping recognition is designed in order to keep its real time capability.•Its time consuming is short which will not be obstacles for high-speed QIM.•Theoretical analysis, simulations and experiments are provided to prove its effectiveness.