Abstract
We present coherence-gated holographic imaging using a highly sensitive photorefractive (PR) polymer composite as the recording medium. Due to the high sensitivity of the composite holographic recording at intensities as low as 5 mW/cm(2) allowed for a frame exposure time of only 500 ms. Motivated by regenerative medical applications, we demonstrate optical depth sectioning of a polymer foam for use as a cell culture matrix. An axial resolution of 18 mu m and a transverse resolution of 30 mu m up to a depth of 600 mu m was obtained using an off-axis recording geometry.