High-resolution quantitative phase camera utilizing a polarization-modulated diffractive optical element

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) is an emerging technique that enables label-free, nondestructive, and full-field quantitative imaging of optical phase. However, the complexity of its optical configuration and limited temporal or spatial resolution impede its broad industrial and clinical applications. Here, we propose a scheme of orthogonal polarization-multiplexed shearing interferometry (OPSI). This polarization-multiplexed scheme improves the space-bandwidth utilization rate by 1.54 times compared with conventional quadriwave lateral shearing interferometry, thus enhancing the spatial resolution of the reconstructed image. The OPSI achieves a compact, robust, and high-resolution QPI, which is anticipated to facilitate broader practical applications of QPI across diverse fields.