  Quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) is often based on recording an
object-reference interference pattern and its further phase demodulation. We
propose Pseudo Hilbert Phase Microscopy (PHPM) where we combine pseudo thermal
light source illumination and Hilbert spiral transform phase demodulation to
achieve hybrid hardware-software-driven noise robustness and increase in
resolution of single-shot coherent QPM. Those advantageous features stem from
physically altering the laser spatial coherence and numerically restoring
spectrally overlapped object spatial frequencies. Capabilities of the PHPM are
demonstrated analyzing calibrated phase targets and live HeLa cells in
comparison with laser illumination and phase demodulation via temporal phase
shifting and Fourier transform techniques. Performed studies verified unique
ability of the PHPM to couple single-shot imaging, noise minimization, and
preservation of phase details.
