Direct single-shot phase difference retrieval of two wavelength in off-axis digital holography

Abstract: A method for direct phase difference reconstruction using single-shot dual-wavelength off-axis digital holography is presented. This approach enables direct imaging of samples with high steps without the need to reconstruct phase images at each individual wavelength. As the dual wavelengths in the reference and object arms pass through a common path in this configuration, single-wavelength arrangements can be applied. Due to the unique capability of the presented method, a sodium-vapor lamp source has been utilized to obtain two closely spaced wavelengths (${\lambda}1 = 589 nm$ and ${\lambda}2 = 589.6 nm$), with in a synthetic wavelength of ${\Lambda} = 578.8 \mu m$ in the Michelson configuration. To evaluate the validity of the method, the height of an air wedge measured using the proposed approach has been compared with the result obtained from phase unwrapping in the single-wavelength method. The capability of the proposed technique to image samples with high step structures is further demonstrated by measuring a $30 \mu m$ step height and a glass plate with a thickness of approximately $140 \mu m$.