In-line Holographic Imaging Research Articles

Mueller-Gabor holographic microscopy

Despite the emergence of various methods for Mueller matrix recovery, achieving complete volumetric Mueller matrix retrieval remains a challenge. An alternative approach that leverages in-line Gabor holography to comprehensively extract polarization information from volumetric samples is introduced in this context. The proposed polarization-sensitive in-line Gabor holographic setup enables the recovery of the complete Mueller matrix of three-dimensional (3D) samples after the numerical repropagation of the holographically rendered complex field to various sample planes. This proposal is validated using a calibrated birefringent polarization test target, a sample of Calcium Oxalate crystals, and a volumetric sample containing microplastics, providing the 3D measurement of polarimetric parameters such as diattenuation, polarizance, depolarization, and retardance. The results agree with those obtained through reference methods based on image-plane brightfield polarimetry. The in-line Gabor holographic system proposed is sensitive to the axial variations in polarimetric information within volumetric samples without any mechanical movement nor optical adjustments— an accomplishment that remains elusive to conventional image-plane reference methods and non-holographic/interferometric systems. These findings emphasize the versatility and potential of this alternative approach in recovering the intricate polarization characteristics of 3D specimens, offering the first in-line holographic Mueller imaging to the best of the authors' knowledge.

Improved resolution in fiber bundle inline holographic microscopy using multiple illumination sources.

Recent work has shown that high-quality inline holographic microscopy images can be captured through fiber imaging bundles. Speckle patterns arising from modal interference within the bundle cores can be minimized by use of a partially-coherent optical source such as an LED delivered via a multimode fiber. This allows numerical refocusing of holograms from samples at working distances of up to approximately 1 mm from the fiber bundle before the finite coherence begins to degrade the lateral resolution. However, at short working distances the lateral resolution is limited not by coherence, but by sampling effects due to core-to-core spacing in the bundle. In this article we demonstrate that multiple shifted holograms can be combined to improve the resolution by a factor of two. The shifted holograms can be rapidly acquired by sequentially firing LEDs, which are each coupled to their own, mutually offset, illumination fiber. Following a one-time calibration, resolution-enhanced images are created in real-time at an equivalent net frame rate of up to 7.5 Hz. The resolution improvement is demonstrated quantitatively using a resolution target and qualitatively using mounted biological slides. At longer working distances, beyond 0.6 mm, the improvement is reduced as resolution becomes limited by the source spatial and temporal coherence.

In-Line and Off-Axis Hybrid Digital Holographic Imaging Method Based on Off-Axis Hologram Constraints

We put forward a novel hybrid iterative algorithm to improve the imaging quality of digital holography. An off-axis hologram is added to the iteration process via interference and inverse interference process and becomes part of the constraints. A frequency domain filter varying with the number of iterations is used to improve the competitive advantage of low frequency information in the early iterations, while retaining the high frequency information. In practical applications, an additional iterative process is used after averaging filtering to suppress the influence of the imperfect consistency between the reconstructed reference wave and the actual reference wave. Numerical simulations and experiments show that image reconstruction may be significantly improved compared to the conventional method.

Spray trajectory and 3D droplets distribution of liquid jet in crossflow with digital inline holography

Liquid jet in crossflow (LJCF) has a wide application in the actual engine engineering. This article presents an experimental investigation of a water jet transversely injected into a subsonic crossflow through digital inline holographic imaging, and presents the relationship between the column trajectory and the downstream droplet distribution. A phenomenological analysis based on high-speed digital inline holography (DIH) with the frequency of 25 kHz is presented to interpret the source of droplets with different sizes in the bag breakup mode and the shear breakup mode. High-resolution DIH with a spatial resolution of 5.5μ m is applied to measure breakup point, droplet size, and location under 30 mm downstream of the orifice. The experiment is carried out under normal temperature and pressure. Gas Weber number Weg varies from 11 to 67, and the liquid to gas momentum ratio q changes from 10 to 28, which are mainly under bag breakup and multi-mode breakup regime. Crossflow velocity profiles are also measured. Liquid penetration were obtained and fitted through spray pattern under x/dj<10 and through downstream droplet statistics under 12<x/dj<70 separately. Under the cases studied, spray penetration evaluated by droplet statistics is larger than that evaluated through spray pattern. In addition, droplet size is relative large in the core region of the spray under higher Weg, possibly due to the presence of vortices in the core region and stronger aerodynamic effects at the periphery of spray. This research presents the quantification of the primary breakup process and corresponding three-dimensional (3D) downstream SMD distribution simultaneously, which helps improve the understanding of spray evolution in crossflow.

Improving particle detection and size estimation accuracy in digital in-line holography using autoregressive interpolation.

The accuracy of particle detection and size estimation is limited by the physical size of the digital sensor used to record the hologram in a digital in-line holographic imaging system. In this paper, we propose to utilize the autoregressive (AR) interpolation of the hologram to increase pixel density and, effectively, the quality of hologram reconstruction. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the influence of AR interpolation of a hologram on the accuracy of detection and size estimation of single and multiple particles of varying sizes. A comparative study on the performance of different interpolation techniques indicates the advantage of the proposed AR hologram interpolation approach. An experimental result is provided to validate the suitability of the proposed algorithm in practical applications.

Effects of surface roughness on splashing characteristics of large droplets with digital inline holographic imaging

Ice accretion on aircraft wings due to Supercooled Large Droplet (SLD) has a significant impact on flight safety. The dynamic behaviours of large droplet, such as deformation, breakup and splashing, have significant effects on icing accretion. The corresponding studies have been carried out experimentally and numerically, and empirical models to predict the dynamic behaviours of large droplets have been proposed. However, few empirical models involve surface roughness effects, especially its effects on the secondary droplets during icing accretion. In this paper, an experimental investigation on the impact of droplets onto surfaces with different roughness was conducted by using the high-speed Digital Inline Holography (DIH). The rapid splashing processes of droplets with Weber number around 570 and Mundo impact parameter K around 240 were captured and reconstructed based on a wavelet-based algorithm. Results show that DIH is suitable to diagnose the secondary droplets with a wide size range and record their velocities and locations. The roughness of the impact surface has a positive effect on the dynamics of splashing droplets, and the parameters including diameter, velocity, splash angle, splash height and mass-loss rate of splashing droplets rise with the increase of roughness. The new empirical correlations of the splashing characteristics of secondary droplets were fitted and developed, which could be used to update the current icing simulation models to take into account the effect of impact surface roughness on large droplets dynamics. This fundamental study may also be applied to the industrial applications including wind turbine icing, inkjets, sprays, as well as the erosion and formation of ice layers.

High-Precision Lensless Microscope on a Chip Based on In-Line Holographic Imaging.

The lensless on-chip microscope is an emerging technology in the recent decade that can realize the imaging and analysis of biological samples with a wide field-of-view without huge optical devices and any lenses. Because of its small size, low cost, and being easy to hold and operate, it can be used as an alternative tool for large microscopes in resource-poor or remote areas, which is of great significance for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases. To improve the low-resolution characteristics of the existing lensless shadow imaging systems and to meet the high-resolution needs of point-of-care testing, here, we propose a high-precision on-chip microscope based on in-line holographic technology. We demonstrated the ability of the iterative phase recovery algorithm to recover sample information and evaluated it with image quality evaluation algorithms with or without reference. The results showed that the resolution of the holographic image after iterative phase recovery is 1.41 times that of traditional shadow imaging. Moreover, we used machine learning tools to identify and count the mixed samples of mouse ascites tumor cells and micro-particles that were iterative phase recovered. The results showed that the on-chip cell counter had high-precision counting characteristics as compared with manual counting of the microscope reference image. Therefore, the proposed high-precision lensless microscope on a chip based on in-line holographic imaging provides one promising solution for future point-of-care testing (POCT).

Time-resolved imaging of settling mineral dust aerosols with digital holography

A method is described to approximate the 3D form and distribution of mineral dust (MD) aerosol particles based on digital in-line holographic imaging. The concept involves constructing a 3D geometrical hull of a particle defined by image-perimeter curves from a sequence of 2D images. Measuring holograms every ten milliseconds results in a video revealing the flow of the MD particles in 3D. Examples of two MD samples of different mean particle-size are presented.

A rotating holographic imager for stationary cloud droplet and ice crystal measurements

An optical cloud droplet and ice crystal measurement system ICEMET (icing condition evaluation method), designed for present icing condition monitoring in field conditions, is presented. The aim in this work has been to develop a simple but precise imaging technique to measure the two often missing parameters needed in icing rate calculations caused by icing clouds—the droplet size distribution (DSD) and the liquid water content (LWC) of the air. The measurement principle of the sensor is based on lens-less digital in-line holographic imaging. Cloud droplets and ice crystals are illuminated by a short laser light pulse and the resulting hologram is digitally sampled by a digital image sensor and the digital hologram is then numerically analyzed to calculate the present DSD and LWC values. The sensor has anti-icing heating power up to 500 W and it is freely rotating by the wind for an optimal sampling direction and aerodynamics. A volume of 0.5 cm3 is sampled in each hologram and the maximum sampling rate is 3 cm3/s. Laboratory tests and simulations were made to ensure the adequate operation of the measurement sensor. Computational flow dynamics simulations showed good agreement with droplet concentration distributions measured from an icing wind tunnel. The anti-icing heating of the sensor kept the sensor operational even in severe icing conditions; the most severe test conditions were the temperature − 15 °C, wind speed 20 m/s and the LWC 0.185 g/m3. The verification measurements made using NIST traceable monodisperse particle standard glass spheres showed that the ICEMET sensor measurement median diameter 25.54 µm matched well with 25.60 µm ± 0.70 µm diameter confidence level given by the manufacturer.

Noise suppression for ballistic-photons based on compressive in-line holographic imaging through an inhomogeneous medium.

Noise suppression is one of the most important tasks in imaging through inhomogeneous mediums. Here, we proposed a denoising approach based on compressive in-line holography for imaging through an inhomogeneous medium. A reference-beam-free system with a low-cost continuous-wave laser is presented. The suppression against the noise, which is brought by the scattering photons, is presented in simulations using the proposed algorithm. The noise immunity is demonstrated in lensless imaging behind a random phase mask with an optical depth of 1.42 by single exposure, as well as behind a ground glass with an optical depth of 6.38 by multiple exposures.

Method of enhancing the quality of in-line holographic images for micro-milling tool

The predecessor of China Optics was China Optics and Applied Optics Digest, which was founded in 1985. At that time, it was the only retrieval journal in the field of optics in China. At the end of 2008, China Optics and Applied Optics Digest was renamed

Low-energy in-line electron holographic imaging of vitreous ice-embedded small biomolecules using a modified scanning electron microscope

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has become the method of choice in the field of structural biology, owing to its unique ability to deduce structures of vitreous ice-embedded, hydrated biomolecules over a wide range of structural resolutions. As cryo-transmission electron microscopes (cryo-TEM) become increasingly specialised for high, near-atomic resolution studies, operational complexity and associated costs serve as significant barriers to widespread usability and adoptability. To facilitate the expansion and accessibility of the cryo-EM method, an efficient, user-friendly means of imaging vitreous ice-embedded biomolecules has been called for. In this study, we present a solution to this issue by integrating cryo-EM capabilities into a commercial scanning electron microscope (SEM). Utilising the principle of low-energy in-line electron holography, our newly developed hybrid microscope permits low-to-moderate resolution imaging of vitreous ice-embedded biomolecules without the need for any form of sample staining or chemical fixation. Operating at 20 kV, the microscope takes advantage of the ease-of-use of SEM-based imaging and phase contrast imaging of low-energy electron holography. This study represents the first reported successful application of low-energy in-line electron holographic imaging to vitreous ice-embedded small biomolecules, the effectiveness of which is demonstrated here with three morphologically distinct specimens.

Microparticle Manipulation and Imaging through a Self-Calibrated Liquid Crystal on Silicon Display

We present in this paper a revision of three different methods we conceived in the framework of liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) display optimization and application. We preliminarily demonstrate an LCoS self-calibration technique, from which we can perform a complete LCoS characterization. In particular, two important characteristics of LCoS displays are retrieved by using self-addressed digital holograms. On the one hand, we determine its phase-voltage curve by using the interference pattern generated by a digital two-sectorial split-lens configuration. On the other hand, the LCoS surface profile is also determined by using a self-addressed dynamic micro-lens array pattern. Second, the implementation of microparticle manipulation through optical traps created by an LCoS display is demonstrated. Finally, an LCoS display based inline (IL) holographic imaging system is described. By using the LCoS display to implement a double-sideband filter configuration, this inline architecture demonstrates the advantage of obtaining dynamic holographic imaging of microparticles independently of their spatial positions by avoiding the non-desired conjugate images.

Single-shot dual-wavelength in-line and off-axis hybrid digital holography

We propose an in-line and off-axis hybrid holographic real-time imaging technique. The in-line and off-axis digital holograms are generated simultaneously by two lasers with different wavelengths, and they are recorded using a color camera with a single shot. The reconstruction is carried using an iterative algorithm in which the initial input is designed to include the intensity of the in-line hologram and the approximate phase distributions obtained from the off-axis hologram. In this way, the complex field in the object plane and the output by the iterative procedure can produce higher quality amplitude and phase images compared to traditional iterative phase retrieval. The performance of the technique has been demonstrated by acquiring the amplitude and phase images of a green lacewing's wing and a living moon jellyfish.

A high sampling rate digital holographic imager instrument for the in situ measurements of hydrometeors

A novel digital in-line holographic imaging instrument designed for acquiring properties of individual hydrometeors in situ is presented. The instrument has a large measurement volume of 670 cm3. This combined with fast frame rate imaging and software controlled multi-exposure capabilities results in a representative sampling of rain and snowfall events. Hydrometeors are measured and analyzed from the in-focus images with microscopic resolution, and their 3D locations inside the measurement volume are determined. The instrument is designed to operate in cold climates and to produce reliable measurements also during strong winds. The imaging rate of the instrument was designed to be adequately high to observe the dynamic nature of rain and snow falls. By recording multi-exposure holograms, the effective frame rate can be increased. This allows the measurements of the velocities of the fast-falling hydrometeors. The instrument and the hologram processing are described; as well as results from laboratory tests and the first field measurements are shown. As a result, the resolving power of the instrument was measured to vary between 11 and 18 microns inside the measurement volume near the center of the field-of-view. Velocity vectors were measured both from multi-exposure and high frame rate holograms. The measured velocities ranged from 0.1 to 4 m/s. In addition, the projections of a flat-shaped and rotating snowflake imaged at different locations inside the measurement volume demonstrated the possibility to estimate the shape of the hydrometeor from multiple viewing angles.

Holographic characterization of colloidal fractal aggregates.

In-line holographic microscopy images of micrometer-scale fractal aggregates can be interpreted with an effective-sphere model to obtain each aggregate's size and the population-averaged fractal dimension. We demonstrate this technique experimentally using model fractal clusters of polystyrene nanoparticles and fractal protein aggregates composed of bovine serum albumin and bovine pancreas insulin.

In-line digital holographic imaging in volume holographic microscopy.

A dual-plane in-line digital holographic imaging method incorporating volume holographic microscopy (VHM) is presented to reconstruct objects in a single shot while eliminating zero-order and twin-image diffracted waves. The proposed imaging method is configured such that information from different axial planes is acquired simultaneously using multiplexed volume holographic imaging gratings, as used in VHM, and recorded as in-line holograms where the corresponding reference beams are generated in the fashion of Gabor's in-line holography. Unlike conventional VHM, which can take axial intensity information only at focal depths, the proposed method digitally reconstructs objects at any axial position. Further, we demonstrate the proposed imaging technique's ability to effectively eliminate zero-order and twin images for single-shot three-dimensional object reconstruction.

The role of advection in the distribution of plankton populations at a moored 1-D coastal observatory

The degree to which advection modulates the distribution of plankton populations at a 1-D coastal observatory was assessed at station L4 in the western English Channel (50°15′N 4°13′W, depth 50m), part of the Western Channel Observatory (WCO). Five tidal-cycle surveys were conducted, three in spring and two in summer 2010. Observations of the physical characteristics of L4 were obtained by using a moored acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) and a free-falling microstructure sensor (MSS). The moored ADCP highlighted the presence of vertical shear, with typical values of U during spring tides of ∼0.5ms−1 at the surface and ∼0.2ms−1 at the bed. The distribution of phyto- and zooplankton populations above a size threshold of 200μm were examined using an in-line holographic imaging system, the Holocam. Variability in time as well as depth is a common feature throughout each of the surveys, with examples of recorded numbers of phytoplankton that ranged between 1300L−1 and 2300L−1 at the same depth but at different points within the tidal cycle. Further, at the same points in the tidal cycle the number of recorded zooplankton was also seen to vary, specifically with the identification of gelatinous planula in spring that increased the observed number to maximums of between 140L−1 and 220L−1 in the upper layer, considerably higher that the corresponding WP-2 net counts for a similar period. Specific aspects of the movement and transfer of plankton relating to advection and interaction with the pycnocline are identified, both across tidal cycles and seasons.

Application of autofocusing methods in continuous-wave terahertz in-line digital holography

Terahertz digital holography is a combination of terahertz imaging and digital holography. During reconstruction, the key point is to find accurately the propagation distance from which the distribution of focused samples can be reconstructed. In this paper, we use a continuous-wave terahertz in-line digital holographic imaging system to record holograms. Moreover, the autofocusing algorithms through which the reconstructed distance can be calculated are applied to the reconstruction. The in-line schematic is beneficial to the terahertz wave imaging, which, however, inevitably produces the object's twin image. In the refocusing process, both the reconstructed image with low signal-to-noise ratio and contrast and the twin image induce the formation of false peaks corresponding to improper distances on the autofocusing curves. To restrain the disturbance factors and improve the accuracy of the judgment, a phase retrieval method is implemented in the reconstruction. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the autofocusing method with phase retrieval in terahertz in-line digital holographic imaging system. The proposed method provides an automated and efficient evaluation which helps to obtain the optimized propagation distance.

Biological controls on resuspension and the relationship between particle size and the Kolmogorov length scale in a shallow coastal sea

Abstract Measurements of suspended particle matter (SPM) and turbulence have been obtained over five tidal surveys during spring and summer 2010 at station L4 (50.25° N 04.22° W, depth 50 m), in the Western English Channel. The relationship between turbulence intensity and bed stress is explored, with an in-line holographic imaging system evaluating the extent to which material is resuspended. Image analysis allows for the identification of SPM above a size threshold of 200 μm, capturing particle variability across tidal cycles and the two seasons. Dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy, which exceeds 10− 5 W kg− 1, yields maximum values of bed stress of between 0.17 and 0.20 N m− 2, frequently resulting in the resuspension of material from the bed. Resuspension is shown to promote aggregation of SPM into flocs, where the size of such particles is theoretically determined by the Kolmogorov microscale, lk. During the spring surveys, flocs of a size larger than lk were observed, though this was not repeated during summer. It is proposed that the presence of gelatinous, biological material in spring allows flocculated particles to exceed lk. This suggests that under specific circumstances, the limiting factor on the growth of flocculated SPM is not only turbulence, as previously thought, but the presence or absence of certain types of biological particle.