Digital in–line holographic microscopy with partially coherent light: micrometer resolution

D. Alvarez–Palacioª, J. Garcia–Sucerquia^b

ª Institue of Chemistry Institute, Universidad de Antioquia, A.A. 1226, Medellín — Colombia, Fax: 574 229 5015 e–mail: diana.alvarez.palacio@gmail.com

^b School of Physics, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín. A.A. 3840, Medellín — Colombia, Fax: 574 430 9327 e–mail: jigarcia@unal.edu.co

Recibido el 27 de enero de 2010 ]]> Aceptado el 20 de septiembre de 2010

Abstract

Using a blue light–emitting diode (LED) it is shown that lensless Digital In–line Holography Microscopy (DIHM) with spherical waves can yield micrometer resolution, even when large objects, such as the head of a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), are imaged. By changing the size of the pinhole, the influence of spatial coherence of the spherical wave at the plane of the sample on the resolution is analysed. Although the achieved resolution is less than that ultimately obtained with a fully coherent laser and a numerical aperture of over 0.5, the use of a LED allows for a very compact and low cost implementation of DIHM. Experiments with micrometer–size beads support the claim of micrometer resolution.

Keywords: Digital in–line holographic microscopy; coherence; resolution.

Resumen

Con el uso de un diodo emisor de luz (LED) se muestra que la microscopia holográfica digital en línea sin lentes (DIHM), puede lograr resolución micrométrica aun cuando se observan objetos extensos, como la cabeza de una mosca de la especie Drosophila melanogaster. Por medio del cambio del tamaño del pinhole, se analiza el efecto que tiene coherencia espacial de las ondas esféricas en el plano de la muestra, sobre la resolución del microscopio. Aunque la resolución alcanzada es menor que la se obtiene con un láser completamente coherente iluminando un sistema con apertura mayor a 0.5, el uso del LED permite la implementación de un sistema DIHM de bajo costo. Experimentos realizados con esferas de tamaño micrométrico validan el alcance de resolución micrométrica.

Descriptores: Microscopía holográfica digital en línea; coherencia; resolución.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Prof. H.J. Kreuzer at Dalhousie University for his inspiring and constructive comments on this manuscript, as well as for his valuable support throughout this research. Jorge Garcia–Sucerquia acknowledges the economical support from COLCIENCIAS and DIME, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín. This work was partially supported by the Universidad Nacional de Colombia through the Bicentenario program under Grant 90201022.

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