Digital holography on moving objects: interference contrast as a function of velocity and aperture width

Digital holographic measurements on planar moving objects are investigated. We discuss the dependence of the interference contrast on velocity and aperture width for both diffusely and specularly reflecting objects. Using spatial phase shifting, the experimental results for motion in parallel and perpendicular to the optical axis are in good agreement with the theoretical considerations. Measurements with object velocities of up to 100 mm/s are conducted using only less than 1 mW of continuous-wave laser light. These considerations are used to determine the optimal angle between the direction of motion and the illuminating beam, resulting in the lowest decrease in contrast with increasing velocity.