Quantitative phase imaging in common-path cross-referenced holographic microscopy using double-exposure method

This paper proposes an optimized implementation of the double-exposure method with emphasis on the uniformity and minimization of the residual phase imperfections in cross-referenced holographic microscopy (CRHM). The quantitative phase images are restored from single-shot cross-referenced holograms, which are separated in the Fourier space and processed to eliminate effects caused by imperfections of the optical path and sample background. CRHM is implemented in a microscope configuration supplemented by a Sagnac interference module providing splitting and shearing of the sample and reference waves. Utilization of the averaging process, which enhances precision of quantitative phase image (QPI) reconstruction, applicable in the methods with a replicated field of view is also presented. The high temporal stability of CRHM is verified in calibration measurements and its application potential demonstrated by a quantitative restoration of the phase resolution target and imaging of biological samples including cheek and sperm cells.