Visualization of a coherent light field by heterodyning with a scanning laser beam

This paper discusses a sampling method of optical holography in which the received phase and amplitude information about any arbitrary cross section of a light field is electronically processed and displayed on a TV monitor. Because the technique makes it possible to discriminate between optical signals with a small frequency difference it should be a useful tool in those methods which investigate acoustic phenomena by dynamic scattering of light. In particular, the application to real time acoustic holography is discussed. Experimental results are presented showing the intensity distribution of both statistically and dynamically scattered optical fields.