title: Multi-imaging capabilities of a 2D diffraction grating in combination with digital holography.
abstract: In this Letter we report on an alternative approach to get multiple images in microscopy, exploiting the capabilities of both a lithium niobate diffraction grating and digital holographic technique. We demonstrate that multi-imaging can be achieved in a lensless configuration by using a hexagonal diffraction grating but overcoming, thanks to digital holography (DH), the many constrains imposed by the grating parameters in multi-imaging with Talbot effect or Talbot array illuminators. In fact, DH permits the numerical reconstruction of the optical field diffracted by the grating, thus obtaining in-focus multiple images in a plane different from the fractional or entire Talbot ones.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (CNR-INO), Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli (NA), Italy.
authors.forename: Melania
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paturzo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merola
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferraro