High-speed 3D imaging

Conventional techniques for 3D imaging require sequential recording of stereo images by multiple cameras or mechanical scanning in order to obtain 3D information of an object. Holography, on the other hand, can obtain 3D information with a single shot recording. The powerful feature can realize not only 3D imaging but also 3D measurement of fast moving object or fast phenomena by holography using a high-speed camera; it is quite difficult for conventional techniques to obtain 3D information of fast phenomena.

Imaging of transparent gas flow

Holography can obtain 3D information of an object as “intensity” and “phase” images by using two physical phenomena (interferometry and diffraction) of light or electromagnetic wave. In particular, phase distribution includes valuable information such as 3D shape, thickness, refractive index, and density. In addition, by using phase distribution, gas flow which is invisible for human eye can be imaged as shown in the right figure.

References

Takashi Kakue, Ryosuke Yonesaka, Tatsuki Tahara, Yasuhiro Awatsuji, Kenzo Nishio, Shogo Ura, Toshihiro Kubota, and Osamu Matoba, “High-speed phase imaging by parallel phase-shifting digital holography,” Optics Letters, 36, 4131-4133 (2011). [link]
Takashi Kakue, Seiya Itoh, Peng Xia, Tatsuki Tahara, Yasuhiro Awatsuji, Kenzo Nishio, Shogo Ura, Toshihiro Kubota, and Osamu Matoba, “Single-shot femtosecond-pulsed phase-shifting digital holography,” Optics Express, 20, 20286-20291 (2012). [link]