Three dimensional imaging of translucent objects using volume holographic techniques

Abstract

Plankton is a primitive form of one or several-celled organism that lives in the sea. Its behavior, its formation, and the various life patterns, when monitored, reveals a wealth of information about the sea. Three dimensional in-situ images of these semi-translucent organisms are therefore of great interest. To better understand how volume holographic imaging works on a translucent object like plankton, this project explores the three dimensional imaging of a gummy bear. Tomographic experiments were performed both with monochromatic laser light illumination and broadband white-light illumination. It was found that unexpectedly, the white light illumination, though not a perfect tomographic setup because of the inclusion of a lot of scattered and refracted light, images better in three dimensions than the monochromatic laser illumination.