What Is a Digital In-Line Holography Microscope?

The digital in-line holography microscope is one of the most important tools used in biology today, offering the greatest benefit to those learning about and working in the field of marine biology. It makes the work faster, more accurate and easier to understand. The digital in-line holography microscope itself is easy to use and allows for a classroom to be brought outside, to the site that is being researched

History

Holography was invented in 1947, and the digital in-line holography microscope about 20 years ago. Today's version--which was patented in 2004 by four French scientists: Pierre Marquet, Etienne Cuche, Christian Depeursinge and Pierre Magistretti--is a far cry from the original, thanks to modern computer technology that enables the microscope to work at speeds that were originally thought impossible.

Features

A digital in-line holography microscope produces a three-dimensional image of particles as small as 1/1,000,000 of a meter (microns). The microscope makes it possible for a scientist to do his research on-site, instead of waiting to return to the laboratory. The hardware is is very simple, consisting of a laser, a pinhole and a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. The digital in-line holography microscope employs a laser, as opposed to the traditional compound light source of a regular microscope.

Function

A digital in-line holography microscope is capable of tracking hundreds of particles, such as algae or bacteria, simultaneously. By using holography, the microscope produces 3-D images that exactly reproduce the characteristics of the object. One model is submersible, making it possible for a marine biologist to do research under water without having to disturb the natural environment, and affording much better results than if the samples were brought out of their environment and studied in the lab.

Potential

The digital in-line holography microscope has the potential to make biological research more accurate. It produces 3-D images with more clarity and higher resolution than were possible with older models. It also promises to make the study of marine biology at the university level easier by allowing the students to do more of their research in the field, providing them with the full picture of what they are researching.

Benefits

With a normal microscope, a sample has to be injected with a dye to be studied. The digital in-line holography microscope allows for the study of living samples. In addition, a conventional microscope can produce double images, which is a problem that does not happen with the digital in-line holography microscope.

Resources

• Experiment Examples
• Microscopy Diagrams