Holographic Imaging Device Spatial Frequency Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical microscopes are limited by the diffraction limit, preventing resolution beyond half the wavelength of light, and existing high-resolution techniques are either expensive, complex, or difficult to apply to transmission type microscopes, and they often require simultaneous recording of object and illumination light, which is a significant limitation.
Innovation Solution
A holographic imaging device and data processing method that synthesizes hologram data using obliquely incident parallel illumination light to shift spatial frequency spectra in the spatial frequency space, allowing for a larger synthetic numerical aperture and enabling ultra-high resolution imaging without the need for simultaneous recording of object and illumination light, while also being applicable to both transmission and reflection types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional optical microscope is used, then simple structure is maintained, but resolution is limited to half wavelength of light due to diffraction limit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional optical lens-based imaging system with a holographic imaging system that records and reconstructs light wave information digitally. This substitution enables resolution beyond the diffraction limit by capturing phase and amplitude information of object light through interference patterns, then numerically reconstructing the image to achieve ultra-high resolution without being constrained by traditional optical diffraction limitations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the imaging system by using obliquely incident parallel illumination light at multiple angles and synthesizing the resulting hologram data in spatial frequency space. This parameter change allows the system to achieve a synthetic numerical aperture greater than 1, thereby exceeding the conventional diffraction limit and achieving resolution finer than half the wavelength of light
2Measurement precision
If existing high-resolution techniques are used, then resolution exceeding diffraction limit is achieved, but device complexity and expense increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary hologram data containing object light information from complex simultaneous recordings of object and illumination light. By separating and utilizing only the essential object light hologram data, the system achieves ultra-high resolution without requiring the complex simultaneous recording mechanisms of existing techniques, thereby simplifying the device structure while maintaining superior resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the light wave information through holographic recording and numerical reconstruction. This copying approach allows the system to achieve ultra-high resolution by processing digital hologram data rather than requiring complex optical manipulation, thereby reducing device complexity and expense compared to existing high-resolution techniques that rely on sophisticated optical systems
3Measurement precision
If simultaneous recording of object and illumination light is implemented, then ultra-high resolution is achieved, but operation becomes difficult and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes only the object light hologram data from the recorded interference pattern, separating it from illumination light information. This extraction simplifies the operation by requiring recording of only object light holograms at different illumination angles, eliminating the complexity of simultaneous dual-light recording while maintaining the capability to achieve ultra-high resolution through spatial frequency synthesis
4Measurement precision
If synthetic numerical aperture greater than 1 is achieved, then resolution exceeding diffraction limit is obtained, but recording conditions become highly restrictive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hologram recording process into multiple independent recordings at different oblique illumination angles. By dividing the ultra-high resolution imaging task into multiple angle-specific hologram acquisitions that are subsequently synthesized in spatial frequency space, the system achieves a synthetic numerical aperture greater than 1 while maintaining operational flexibility and avoiding highly restrictive simultaneous recording conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves a long working distance and wide field of view with ultra-high resolution, exceeding the diffraction limit, and can be applied to both transmission and reflection types without the complexity and expense of existing high-resolution techniques.
Implementation Method 1
there is a holography technique for analyzing light waves such as reflected light and transmitted light by recording on a recording medium, such as a photographic plate called hologram, together with light intensity and phase data
Implementation Method 2
spatial frequency filtering and spatial heterodyne modulation are applied to hologram data, acquired with one shot, to generate a complex amplitude in-line hologram
Implementation Method 3
a method for accurately acquiring object light of a large numerical aperture by one shot using holography without using any imaging lens
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~3
Figure 4A~4C
AI summary
The present invention provides a holographic imaging device, which can realize both a transmission type and a reflection type, and also realize a long working distance wide field of view or ultra-high resolution, and also provides a data processing method used therefor. Object light Oj emitted from an object, sequentially illuminated with parallel illumination light Qj whose incident direction θj is changed, is recorded on a plurality of object light holograms IjOR for each incident direction using off-axis spherical wave reference light R. The reference light R is recorded on a reference light hologram ILR using in-line spherical wave reference light L being in-line with the object light Oj. An object light wave hologram hj(x, y) and its spatial frequency spectrum Hj(u, v) at the object position are generated for each incident direction using each hologram ILR, IjOR. A synthetic spectrum HT(u, v) which occupies a wider frequency space is generated by matching each spectrum Hj(u, v) in the overlapping area, and a synthetic object light wave hologram hT(x, y) with increased numerical aperture is obtained thereby.