Holographic method and apparatus using incoherent light

DETAILED DESCRIPTION This object is achieved by the invention by means of a method of generating a quasi-complex hologram using inherent light and a conoscope system comprising a birefringant crystal inserted between two circular polarizers, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: (i) recording a plurality of different conoscopic holograms of the same object without relative displacement thereof and with respective different polarization configurations; and (ii) combining the various conoscopic holograms obtained in this way in order to remove the bias and the conjugate image.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the circular polarizers are constituted by respective linear polarizers and respective quarterwave plates capable of relative rotation and coupled to rotary drive means, with the various polarization configurations being obtained in succession by rotating a linear polarizer and/or a quarterwave plate by using the drive means.
The present invention also provides a device for implementing the above-specified method, the device being of the type comprising a conoscopic system including a birefringent crystal inserted between two circular polarizers, and being characterized by the fact that it comprises: means for recording a plurality of conoscopic holograms of the same object without relative displacement thereof, at different respective polarization configurations; and means suitable for combining the various different conoscopic holograms obtained in this way in order to eliminate the bias and the conjugate image.