Lensless Fourier holography for digital holographic interferometry on biological samples

Digital holography as a tool for highly sensitive, interferometric non-dest ructive testing has several advantages compared to holographic measurements based on conventional storage media like an ail-digital processing and a d irect access to the phase of the object wave. Experimental results of inter ferometric investigations of heart valve bio-prostheses with a setup for le nsless Fourier holography are presented which demonstrate that this techniq ue is applicable to such biological samples with their wet and unstable sur faces. Limitations on size and resolution of the reconstructed object cause d by the properties of the CCD sensor are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. All rights reserved.