Pulsed digital holographic interferometry by using a flexible fiber endoscope

A system based on digital holographic interferometry in combination with a flexible fiber endoscope is described. A Q-switched pulsed laser is used. Two digital holograms of the test object, corresponding to the two laser pulses, are captured at separate video frames of a CCD-camera, transferred in a frame grabber and further processed in a PC. If the object undergoes a deformation during the interval between the two laser pulses (usually in the range of 5-600 mus), a fringe pattern will result from the difference between the two holograms. This fringe pattern has the information needed to evaluate quantitatively the amount of the deformation. A compact system has been developed to be used for various applications, both mechanical and biological, where measurements need to be performed at "hidden" surfaces or inside more or less closed objects. The quality of the results obtained by using mechanical objects is usually better than for biological objects. This can be explained easily by the fact that a biological surface is much more complex, in particular some parts of the surface may reflect the light well whereas some other parts may absorb it. Experimental results are presented. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.