Real-time heterodyne imaging interferometry: focal-plane amplitude and phase demodulation using a three-phase correlation image sensor.

A method of real-time heterodyne imaging interferometry using a three-phase correlation image sensor (3PCIS) is proposed. It simultaneously demodulates the amplitude and phase images of an incident interference pattern at an ordinary frame rate with good accuracy, thus overcoming the trade-off among measurement time, spatial resolution, and demodulation accuracy suffered in conventional interferometry. An experimental system is constructed with a 64x64 3PCIS camera operated at 30 frames/s and a two-frequency He-Ne laser with a beat frequency of 25 kHz. The results obtained for a scanning mirror and heated silicone oil confirm the proposed method.