Speckle suppression in digital in-line holographic microscopy through liquid crystal dynamic scattering

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel speckle noise reduction method in digital in-line holographic microscopy using a liquid crystal diffuser, improving image quality without adding mechanical complexity.

Contribution

The study introduces a liquid crystal dynamic scatterer diffuser integrated into a microscope to actively suppress speckle noise, enhancing image resolution and system simplicity.

Findings

Significant speckle noise reduction demonstrated on test targets.

Enhanced image resolution and quality confirmed through quantitative tests.

Method applicable to various compact imaging systems.

Abstract

We demonstrate speckle noise reduction in an in-line holographic imaging system using a Zwitterion-doped liquid crystal dynamic scatterer (LCDS) cell diffuser. Integrated into a minimally modified bright-field microscope, the LCDS actively modulates system's spatial coherence. The proposed solution suppresses coherent artifacts without introducing bulky moving parts, while enhancing image resolution and preserving overall system simplicity. Quantitative performance tested on a phase and amplitude test targets, as well as phase-amplitude biological sample, shows significant noise reduction and methods versatility. Though validated in a holographic in-line setup, the approach is applicable to other imaging techniques requiring compact, vibration-free speckle suppression.