Environmental Research Institute of Michigan

Richard G Paxman

Joseph C Marron

A system and method for creating a three-dimensional image of an opaque object utilize frequency diverse coherent illumination in combination with an opacity constraint in performing three-dimensional phase retrieval and/or profile retrieval. An opaque object is one which exhibits only surface scattering and no volume scattering over volumes that extend beyond the desired range resolution. The system and method require only Fourier intensity information to create a three-dimensional image which avoids the difficulties associated with prior art systems and methods requiring phase information to produce similar images. Furthermore, the system and method of the present invention do not require imaging optics, precise alignment of optical components, or precise phase stability of the coherent illumination source.

System and method for three-dimensional imaging of opaque objects using

A method and apparatus for obtaining fine resolution imaging of extended objects in the presence of unknown time-varying aberrations, wherein the method is accomplished by obtaining data corresponding to multiple, measurement-diverse images of the extended object collected for each of a plurality of aberration realizations. The object and unknown aberrations are then Jointly estimated, preferably using constrained likelihood-based estimation techniques. The apparatus utilizes a conventional optical system, at least two detector arrays for detecting a plurality of phase-diverse images, a shutter system so that a specklegram can be captured at each of the phase-diverse arrays for each of a plurality of aberration realizations, and a computer including a processor, sufficient memory restoring the digital data corresponding to the captured images, and logic for estimating the object and unknown aberrations.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Richard G Paxman