Fringe free holographic measurements of large amplitude vibrations

In the measurement of the amplitude of vibration of objects, holographic imaging techniques usually involve fringe counting; due to the limited resolution of images, measurements of large amplitudes are not accessible. We demonstrate a technique that suppresses the necessity of fringe counting: frequency sideband imaging, where the order of the sideband is considered as a marker of the amplitude. The measurement is completely local: no comparison with another reference point on the object is necessary. It involves a sharp variation of a signal, which makes it robust against perturbations. The method is demonstrated in an experiment made with a vibrating clarinet reed; phase modulations as large as 1000 radians have been measured.