Optical sectioning with a low-coherence phase-shifting digital holographic microscope

The properties of a low-coherence phase-shifting digital holographic microscope are first studied and analyzed. We then demonstrate en face imaging with transverse resolution of 3 mu m and axial resolution of 10 mu m through a thickness of 300 mu m onion membrane. In addition, with the above said resolutions, optical sectioning of the eye and spine of a live zebra fish has been demonstrated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a short coherence phase-shifting holographic microscope has been applied to the internal structure visualization of a biological specimen under an in vivo environment. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America