Numerical simulation of digital holographic microscopy through transparent samples based on pupil imaging and finite-difference time-domain methods

Abstract

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) has been used to determine the morphology and shape of transparent objects. However, the obtained shape is often inaccurate depending on the object properties and the setup of the optical imaging system. To understand these effects, we developed a new DHM model on the basis of a hybrid pupil imaging and finite-difference time-domain method. To demonstrate this model, we compared the results of an experiment with those of a simulation using borosilicate glass microspheres and a mold with a linear step structure. The simulation and experimental results showed good agreement. We also showed how the curvature and refractive index of objects affect the accuracy of thickness measurements.