Microwave holographic interferometry

Microwave holography is an extension of the optical holography to the microwave field. In fact, by using a well-known characteristic of the holographic process, it is possible to record the hologram at frequencies very far from the optical region (microwave) and to reconstruct a visible image by laser light. This paper describes the experimental apparatus and the technique used for obtaining a satisfactory optical wave reconstruction from microwave holograms. The resolving power of the system which was experimentally tested, and visible images of microwave transparencies and of a back scattering object are given. As an alternative application of the microwave holography together with the optical wave reconstruction, in this paper, extension of holographic interferometry to the microwave region is suggested, and the visible image of a deformed object crossed by fringes due to microwave interference is also shown. This technique can find applications, for instance, in the mapping of the earth's deformations or in that of the tides. Different aspects of the microwave holographic interferometry have been also discussed.