Micropipe flow visualization using digital in-line holographic microscopy.

Digital in-line holography is used to visualize particle motion within a cylindrical micropipe. Analytical expression of the intensity distribution recorded in the CCD sensor plane is derived using the generalized Huygens-Fresnel integral associated with the ABCD matrices formalism. Holograms obtained in a 100microm in diameter micropipe are then reconstructed using fractional Fourier transformation. Astigmatism brought by the cylindrical micropipe is finally used to select a three dimensional region of interest in the microflow and thus to improve axial localization of objects located within a micropipe. Experimental results are presented and a short movie showing particle motion within a micropipe is given.