Improved-resolution digital holography using the generalized sampling theorem for locally band-limited fields

We describe the recording conditions that, together with the appropriate numerical reconstruction process, permit high-lateral-resolution reconstruction of in-line digital holograms. By high resolution, we mean a resolution that is beyond the Nyquist frequency, which is achieved by common methods. The proposed method is based on a previously reported generalized sampling theory that presents the conditions to precisely reconstruct fields that in certain cases may be sampled with a sampling rate lower than the Nyquist rate. We examine the hologram-recording process in the Wigner space. On the basis of this analysis, we demonstrate a simple high-resolution numerical reconstruction method.