Twin-image elimination using quadrantal masks in a digital holographic microscope

Holography has a considerable advantage of retrieving three-dimensional information of an object from only one interference recording. However, twin images always appear in the reconstruction for the reason of symmetry. Especially, twin images significantly deteriorate the quality of the reconstructed information in on-axis configuration. A solution of the twin-image problem in a digital holographic microscope by using symmetry with quadrantal masks is suggested in this study. This method is effective to most of the measured area without any additional implements, and restrictions on sample or iterations, and is demonstrated by the simulation and experimental results. The ratio of the disturbed area by a twin-image to the total measured area is reduced to the value of 0.82% in a specific case. (c) 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). [DOI: 10.1117/1.3537970]