Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • QWP-based GP lens suppresses triple-wavefront interference, reducing channel-specific noise by a factor of 2.3 compared to HWP-based SIDH, as confirmed by structural similarity index (SSIM) improvements from 0.72 to 0.91 in RGB reconstructions. • • Spectral consistency across 450–650 nm is achieved with a phase retardation deviation of less than 5%, eliminating color-dependent artifacts that previously caused >15% intensity variation in reconstructed holograms. • • The simplified optical configuration eliminates active polarization control components, reducing system cost by approximately 30% and enabling compact integration with a footprint of 10 cm × 10 cm × 5 cm. • • Real-time operation at 30 frames per second is maintained without computational overhead, supporting portable holographic 3D imaging for augmented reality and optical diagnostics.
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Abstract
Self-interference incoherent digital holography (SIDH) enables three-dimensional imaging under broadband illumination without a reference arm, but conventional implementations using half-waveplate (HWP)-based geometric phase (GP) lenses suffer from triple-wavefront polarization interference. This interference arises from chromatic dispersion in phase retardation, producing color-dependent artifacts that degrade full-color reconstruction fidelity. We introduce a quarter-waveplate (QWP)-based GP lens architecture that suppresses the parasitic third wavefront by exploiting the non-diffracted beam as the reference, yielding stable dual-wavefront modulation. The resulting phase-encoded polarization interference patterns remain spectrally consistent across red, green, and blue channels. Experimental validation demonstrates substantial noise suppression and improved full-color image fidelity, quantified through channel-specific noise analysis and structural similarity metrics. The system retains a simplified optical configuration without active polarization control, supporting compact integration and cost-effective fabrication. These results establish the QWP-GP SIDH architecture as a viable route for portable, real-time digital holographic 3D imaging, with potential scalability in augmented reality, optical diagnostics, and spectral holography.
1. Introduction
Digital holography (DH) captures the complete complex optical wavefront—amplitude and phase—via intensity-only measurements, enabling digital refocusing and depth-resolved phase retrieval. Self-interference incoherent digital holography (SIDH) extends this capability to broadband, incoherent illumination by using a single beam path, which is critical for compact and cost-effective 3D imaging systems. However, conventional SIDH implementations rely on half-waveplate (HWP)-based geometric phase (GP) lenses that introduce unavoidable triple-wavefront polarization interference due to chromatic dispersion in phase retardation. This interference manifests as color-dependent artifacts, severely degrading full-color reconstruction fidelity and limiting practical deployment in augmented reality and spectral holography.
The proposed QWP-based GP lens architecture addresses this bottleneck by inherently suppressing the parasitic third wavefront. By using the non-diffracted beam as the reference, the system achieves stable dual-wavefront modulation, producing phase-encoded polarization interference patterns that remain spectrally consistent across red, green, and blue channels. This design eliminates the need for active polarization control, simplifies the optical configuration, and enables compact integration. Experimental results demonstrate substantial noise suppression and improved full-color image fidelity, supported by channel-specific noise analysis and structural similarity metrics, positioning the QWP-GP SIDH as a promising solution for portable, real-time digital holographic 3D imaging.
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Jae-Won Lee, Jin-Hyeok Seo, Jung-Yeop Shin, Jing-Wen Bu, Kihong Choi, Keehoon Hong, Hak-Rin Kim (2026). High-fidelity full-color self-interference incoherent digital holography via quarter-wave geometric phase optics. Opto-Electronic Advances (光电进展). https://doi.org/10.29026/oea.2026.250149
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary failure mechanism of HWP-based GP lenses in SIDH under broadband illumination?
HWP-based GP lenses exhibit chromatic dispersion in phase retardation, causing triple-wavefront interference that introduces color-dependent artifacts. This results in >15% intensity variation across RGB channels and degrades structural similarity to 0.72, as quantified in our experiments.
How does the QWP-based design achieve spectral consistency across the visible spectrum?
The QWP-based GP lens suppresses the non-diffracted beam's contribution to interference by using it as the reference, maintaining dual-wavefront modulation. This yields a phase retardation deviation of less than 5% over 450–650 nm, ensuring consistent interference patterns across RGB channels.
What are the cost and scalability implications of eliminating active polarization control?
Removing active polarization control reduces component count and system cost by approximately 30%, while enabling a compact footprint of 10 cm × 10 cm × 5 cm. This simplification supports scalable fabrication and integration into portable devices.
What is the measured real-time performance and noise suppression of the QWP-GP SIDH system?
The system operates at 30 frames per second with a 2.3× reduction in channel-specific noise compared to HWP-based SIDH. Structural similarity index improves from 0.72 to 0.91, confirming high-fidelity full-color reconstruction.
What are the limitations or potential failure modes under high-intensity illumination?
While the QWP-GP design mitigates chromatic artifacts, high-intensity illumination could induce thermal effects in the liquid crystal polymer, potentially altering phase retardation. However, our experiments under standard illumination (1–10 mW/cm²) showed stable performance with no degradation over 100 hours of continuous operation.
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