Three-dimensional holographic imaging of incoherent objects through scattering media

TL;DR

This paper introduces a holographic imaging method that compensates for scattering effects in 3D microscopy by using a virtual medium, enabling accurate reconstruction of hidden incoherent objects in scattering media.

Contribution

The authors develop a novel virtual medium approach that models scattering effects, allowing non-invasive 3D imaging of incoherent objects through scattering media.

Findings

Successful non-invasive 3D reconstructions demonstrated

Effective compensation of scattering effects in experiments

Applicable to fluorescent and synthetic incoherent objects

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) high-resolution imaging is essential in microscopy, yet light scattering poses significant challenges in achieving it. Here, we present an approach to holographic imaging of spatially incoherent objects through scattering media, utilizing a virtual medium that replicates the scattering effects of the actual medium. This medium is constructed by retrieving mutually incoherent fields from the object, and exploiting the spatial correlations between them. By numerically propagating the incoherent fields through the virtual medium, we non-invasively compensate for scattering, achieving accurate 3D reconstructions of hidden objects. Experimental validation with fluorescent and synthetic incoherent objects confirms the effectiveness of this approach, opening new possibilities for advanced 3D high-resolution microscopy in scattering environments.