Off-axis interferometric phase microscopy with tripled imaging area

We present an interferometric approach, referred to as interferometry with tripled-imaging area (ITIA), for tripling the quantitative information that can be collected in a single camera exposure while using off-axis interferometric imaging. ITIA enables optical multiplexing of three off-axis interferograms onto a single camera sensor without changing the imaging-system characteristics, such as magnification and spatial resolution, or losing temporal resolution (no scanning is involved). This approach is useful for many applications in which interferometric and holographic imaging are used. Our experimental demonstrations include quantitative phase microscopy of a transparent U.S. Air Force 1951 test target, thin diatom shells, and live human cancer cells. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America