THE YOUNG HOLOGRAM - A 5TH TYPE OF HOLOGRAM

Based on the Young-Rubinowicz model of diffraction phenomena, which is unconventional in holography, a new type of hologram has been develop ed. This is the Young hologram, defined as a referenceless recording o f the near-field diffraction pattern. Since it is a hologram of an edg e diffraction wave, the Young hologram is an efficient means of formin g contour images. The relationship of the method of Young holograms to an experiment by Michelson for image formation using photographically recorded diffraction patterns and to the method of diffraction micros copy based on the Fraunhofer holograms of Brian Thompson is discussed. Generalized conditions for implementing the associative properties of the hologram are formulated in terms of the classification of quasi-a xial holograms. (C) 1997 The Optical Society of America.