Digital holographic microscopy, a new imaging technology applied to biological cells and tissues

Digital holographic microscopy is a new imaging technique offering high resolution and real time observation capabilities. This new imaging approach is based on the coherent propagation of light in dielectric matter in general: biological objects in particular. The originality of our approach is to provide both a slightly modified microscope design, yielding digital holograms of microscopic objects and an interactive computer environment to easily reconstruct object shape from digital holograms at the nanoscale. Real time image reconstruction and rendering is henceforth possible, thus providing a new tool in the hands of nano-systems engineers and biologists. Direct imaging of cells and tissues structure. In vitro and possibly in vivo by the newly developed imaging technique is deemed to offer unique investigation means in biology and medicine