Image-based registration for synthetic aperture holography

High pixel count apertures for digital holography may be synthesized by scanning smaller aperture detector arrays. Characterization and compensation for registration errors in the detector array position and pitch and for phase instability between the reference and object field is a major challenge in scanned systems. We use a secondary sensor to monitor phase and image-based registration parameter estimators to demonstrate near diffraction-limited resolution from a 63.4 mm aperture synthesized by scanning a 5.28 mm subaperture over 144 transverse positions. We demonstrate 60 μm resolution at 2 m range.