Twin-image elimination using quadrantal masks in a digital holographic microscope

Holography has a considerable advantage of retrieving three- dimensional information of an object from only one interference recording. However, twin images always appear in the reconstruction for the reason of symmetry. Especially, twin images significantly deteriorate the qual- ity of the reconstructed information in on-axis configuration. A solution of the twin-image problem in a digital holographic microscope by using symmetry with quadrantal masks is suggested in this study. This method is effective to most of the measured area without any additional imple- ments, and restrictions on sample or iterations, and is demonstrated by the simulation and experimental results. The ratio of the disturbed area by a twin-image to the total measured area is reduced to the value of 0.82% in a specific case. C 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).