Robust, fast, and effective two-dimensional automatic phase unwrapping algorithm based on image decomposition

We describe what is to our knowledge a novel approach to phase unwrapping. Using the principle of unwrapping following areas with similar phase values (homogenous areas), the algorithm reacts satisfactorily to random noise and breaks in the wrap distributions. Execution times for a 512 X 512 pixel phase distribution are in the order of a half second on a desktop computer. The precise value depends upon the particular image under analysis. Two inherent parameters allow tuning of the algorithm to images of different quality and nature. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.