Optical resolution and the duality of light

• For 15 years, lensless microscopes have been constructed based on the use of holography, a digital CCD detector, and a computer for image reconstruction by use of, e.g., Fourier transformation. Thus, no lens is involved and therefore the conventional resolution limit of half the wavelength no longer applies. Instead of being limited by the wavelength, the resolution is in this case limited by how exact one can measure the phases of the light. It is remarkable that the interference-limited resolution is approximately 0.01X, whereas the diffraction-limited resolution is only of the order of 0.5X. It is my hope that by combining these two techniques it will be possible to increase the magnification in optical systems by at least an order of magnitude. The calculations at so indicate that information does not necessarily decrease with distance.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Atom- och molekylfysik och optik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

CCD detectors

Diffraction-limited resolution

Fourier transformations

Limited resolution

Optical resolution

Optical-

Order-of magnitudes

Resolution limits

Charge coupled devices

Data recording

Fourier analysis

Fourier transforms

Holographic interferometry

Image processing

Image reconstruction

Laser recording

Light

Optical systems

Photonics

Optical physics

Optisk fysik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)