Digital Holographic Microscopy for 3D Imaging of Complex Fluids and Biological Systems
Written by: Grant England AP225 Fall, 2011
Info
Title: Digital Holographic Microscopy for 3D Imaging of Complex Fluids and Biological Systems
Authors: Vinothan N. Manoharan
@Harvard: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12821&page=5
Summary
In this paper, a method for resolving three dimensional objects, at a timescale much faster than that achieved with confocal microscopy and for a much lower cost, is described. By using Fourier transformations and other mathematics, a three dimensional representation of a structure can be back-calculated by using the interference pattern generated by a laser shining through the sample. So, using this method coupled with a digital camera which can capture images at 30 fps, 3D reconstructions of particles in solution or other interesting materials can be created.
Methods and Results
The above shows schematically how a point source can be resolved in three dimensions using the interference pattern collected by a camera. The top-right image shows the coherent superposition of several particles which could be used to calculate the locations and sizes of several particles in the sample.
The above shows some real data collected with the digital holographic microscope (DHM) for a single frame of a movie compared to the same image taken with a bright field microscope which does not give three dimensional information.