Single-exposure, photorefractive holographic surface contouring with multiwavelength diode lasers

Abstract

We studied the use of multiwavelength diode lasers for surface profilometry through holographic recording in sillenite Bi12TiO20 crystals. When such lasers are used, the holographic image from single-exposure recordings appears covered with interference fringes providing information on the surface relief of the object. By taking advantage of the narrow interference fringes due to the multiwavelength emission of the laser, we obtained interferograms by holographic recording with two reference beams, which improves the surface analysis by visual inspection and enhances the profilometry sensitivity.