US 12,461,487 B2
Digital holographic microscope
Oliver Harriman, London (GB); and Irwin Zaid, London (GB)
Assigned to SEE-THROUGH SCIENTIFIC LIMITED, London (GB)
Appl. No. 17/776,884
Filed by See-Through Scientific Limited, London (GB)
PCT Filed Nov. 13, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/082061
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 13, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/094536, PCT Pub. Date May 20, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1916705 (GB), filed on Nov. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0404765 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. G03H 1/00 (2006.01); G02B 21/06 (2006.01); G02B 21/18 (2006.01); G02B 21/26 (2006.01); G03H 1/22 (2006.01)
CPC G03H 1/0005 (2013.01) [G02B 21/06 (2013.01); G02B 21/18 (2013.01); G02B 21/26 (2013.01); G03H 1/2205 (2013.01); G03H 2001/005 (2013.01); G03H 2001/2234 (2013.01); G03H 2223/18 (2013.01); G03H 2223/24 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An off-axis digital holographic microscope, comprising:
a light emitter configured to provide a divergent light beam comprising a first portion and a second portion;
a sensor positioned to receive the first portion of the divergent light beam from the light emitter in a first path and the second portion of the divergent light beam in a second path, and thereby to detect a holographic image;
a reflector positioned partially in the divergent light beam so that the first portion of the divergent light beam that encounters the reflector is reflected towards the sensor in the first path, wherein the second portion of the divergent light beam that does not encounter the reflector extends directly from the light emitter to be incident on the sensor in the second path; and
a support structure configured to support a sample in the first path or the second path.
 
8. A method of performing digital holographic microscopy, comprising the steps of:
emitting light from a light emitter to provide a divergent light beam comprising a first portion and a second portion;
providing a reflector partially in the divergent light beam so that the first portion of the divergent light beam that encounters the reflector is reflected towards a sensor in a first path, wherein the second portion of the divergent light beam that does not encounter the reflector extends directly from the light emitter to be incident on the sensor in a second path;
supporting a sample in a support structure in the first path or the second path; and
receiving light at a sensor from the first path and the second path, and thereby detecting a holographic image.