Sensitivity adjustable contouring by digital holography and a virtual reference wavefront

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 221; no. 1; pp. 49 - 54
• Main Authors: Cai, L.Z., Liu, Q., Yang, X.L., Wang, Y.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2003; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Contouring; Digital image processing; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Holographic interferometry; other holographic techniques; Holography; Image reconstruction; tomography; Imaging and optical processing; Interferometry; Optics; Physics; Virtual optics; Contouring; Virtual optics; 42.40.Km; 42.30.Wb; 42.87.Bg; 42.87.−d; Holography; Interferometry; Digital image processing; Image processing; Theoretical study; Digital processing; Digital holography; Computerized simulation; Holographic interferometry; Edge detection
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/S0030-4018(03)01468-8

A new method of contouring using digital holography and a virtual reference wavefront is reported. In this method, an object wave is first recorded and then digitally reconstructed. At the same time, a reference wave is digitally introduced to interfere with the reconstructed object wave to form a contour pattern. Since the form or curvature of the reference wave can be arbitrarily designed and artificially generated by a computer, the contouring sensitivity (the depth interval) can be easily adjusted for different purpose. The effectiveness of this method has been verified by computer simulations with both the conventional off-axis hologram and the phase-shifting hologram. The simplicity of optical setup and the unique ability of changing contouring sensitivity in this technique make it attractive potential in practical measurements.