Fingerprint biometry applications of digital holography and low-coherence interferography

We use several holographic and interferographic methods for two- and three-dimensional imaging of fingerprints. Holographic phase microscopy is used to produce images of thin-film patterns left by latent fingerprints. Two or more holographic phase images with different wavelengths are combined for optical phase unwrapping of images of thicker patent prints or a plastic print. Digital interference holography uses scanned wavelengths to synthesize short-coherence interference tomographic images of a plastic print. We also demonstrate light-emitting-diode-based low-coherence interferography for imaging plastic as well as latent prints. These demonstrations point to significant contributions to biometry by the emerging technology of digital holography and interferography. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America