Modulation analysis in spatial phase shifting electronic speckle pattern interferometry and application for automated data selection on biological specimens

In electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI), for a fast and objective analysis of measurement data which occur with a high repetition rate, an automated data processing is of particular advantage. For this reason, investigations were carried out to determine if the modulation of speckle interferograms can be applied as a quality parameter for the selection of suitable interferogram data for further evaluation e.g. phase unwrapping when spatial phase shifting (SPS) is performed. Six methods for determining the modulation of speckle interferograms are characterised and compared. The applicability of the speckle interferogram modulation as a parameter for mask generation in the unwrapping process of the phase difference is demonstrated by the evaluation of measurement data obtained from experiments with a spatial phase shifting endoscopic ESPI system on a technical surface and on a human gastrectomy specimen.