Image formation in phase-shifting digital holography and applications to microscopy

We discuss image formation in phase-shifting digital holography by developing an analytical formulation based on the Fresnel-Firchhoff diffraction theory. Image-plane position and imaging magnification are derived for general configurations in which a spherical reference is employed. The influences of discrete sampling of the resulting interference patterns by a CCD and numerical reconstruction on qualities of point images are investigated. Dependence of the point images on the ratio of the minimum fringe spacing to pixel pitch of the CCD is numerically analyzed. Two-point resolution and magnification are also investigated as a function of pixel numbers by a simulation using a one-dimensional model. In experiments magnified images of biological objects and a resolution target were reconstructed with the same quality as by conventional microscopy. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.