A new 3D tracking method exploiting the capabilities of digital holography in microscopy

Abstract

A method for 3D tracking has been developed exploiting Digital Holographic Microscopy (DHM) features. In the framework of self-consistent platform for manipulation and measurement of biological specimen we use DHM for quantitative and completely label free analysis of specimen with low amplitude contrast. Tracking capability extend the potentiality of DHM allowing to monitor the motion of appropriate probes and correlate it with sample properties. Complete 3D tracking has been obtained for the probes avoiding the issue of amplitude refocusing in traditional tracking processing. Our technique belongs to the video tracking methods that, conversely from Quadrant Photo-Diode method, opens the possibility to track multiples probes. All the common used video tracking algorithms are based on the numerical analysis of amplitude images in the focus plane and the shift of the maxima in the image plane are measured after the application of an appropriate threshold. Our approach for video tracking uses different theoretical basis. A set of interferograms is recorded and the complex wavefields are managed numerically to obtain three dimensional displacements of the probes. The procedure works properly on an higher number of probes and independently from their size. This method overcomes the traditional video tracking issues as the inability to measure the axial movement and the choice of suitable threshold mask. The novel configuration allows 3D tracking of micro-particles and simultaneously can furnish Quantitative Phase-contrast maps of tracked micro-objects by interference microscopy, without changing the configuration. In this paper, we show a new concept for a compact interferometric microscope that can ensure the multifunctionality, accomplishing accurate 3D tracking and quantitative phase-contrast analysis. Experimental results are presented and discussed for in vitro cells. Through a very simple and compact optical arrangement we show how two different functionalities can be accomplished by the same optical setup, i.e. 3D tracking of micro-object and quantitative phase contrast imaging.