Evaluation of phase objects by pulsed TV holography and defocused speckle displacement

An optical measurement method is presented for the evaluation of phase objects. Pulsed TV holography in combination with digital speckle photography gives the possibility to study transient events. The phase object is placed in front of a diffuser, on which a CCD camera is focused. Holograms are recorded, with and without the phase object present. The speckle patterns are reconstructed and transformed to different imaging planes using a phase field for propagation. Speckle displacement fields are then calculated for the different imaging planes, which visualise the change of refractive index or phase gradients caused by the phase object. Together with the phase information in the hologram even more information is obtained. A flow of helium gas and a positive weak lens are used as phase objects in two test experiments.