Numerical wave propagation in ImageJ.

An ImageJ plugin for numerical wave propagation is presented. The plugin provides ImageJ, the well-known software for image processing, with the capability of computing numerical wave propagation by the use of angular spectrum, Fresnel, and Fresnel-Bluestein algorithms. The plugin enables numerical wave propagation within the robust environment provided by the complete set of built-in tools for image processing available in ImageJ. The plugin can be used for teaching and research purposes. We illustrate its use to numerically recreate Poisson's spot and Babinet's principle, and in the numerical reconstruction of digitally recorded holograms from millimeter-sized and pure phase microscopic objects.