Hilbert phase microscopy based on pseudo thermal illumination in Linnik configuration

Abstract: Quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) is often based on recording an object-reference interference pattern and its further phase demodulation. We propose Pseudo Hilbert Phase Microscopy (PHPM) where we combine pseudo thermal light source illumination and Hilbert spiral transform phase demodulation to achieve hybrid hardware-software-driven noise robustness and increase in resolution of single-shot coherent QPM. Those advantageous features stem from physically altering the laser spatial coherence and numerically restoring spectrally overlapped object spatial frequencies. Capabilities of the PHPM are demonstrated analyzing calibrated phase targets and live HeLa cells in comparison with laser illumination and phase demodulation via temporal phase shifting and Fourier transform techniques. Performed studies verified unique ability of the PHPM to couple single-shot imaging, noise minimization, and preservation of phase details.