Abstract
Microsphere-assisted microscopy is a new imaging technique which allows the diffraction limit to be overcome using transparent microspheres. It makes it possible to reach a resolution of up to 100 nm in air while being label-free and full-field. An overview of the imaging technique is presented showing the influence of the photonic jet on the image nature and the unconventional behaviour of the magnification factor. Moreover, interferometry through microspheres is demonstrated for the 3D reconstruction of nanoelements.
Highlights
In optical imaging, observation of sub-micrometre features is a real challenge
According to theory of diffraction, the smallest discernible size through a classical microscope is of λ/2
Nature [7,8] and the unconventional behaviour of the magnification factor [9], respectively
Summary
Observation of sub-micrometre features is a real challenge. The resolving power appears to be reduced due to the optical aberrations, misalignments and numerical aperture of the system (NA ≤ 1.0 in air). Since the appearance of the notion of ultramicroscopy in 1930’s, several approaches have been suggested making it possible to overcome the diffraction barrier [1] such as confocal microscopy, scanning near field optical microscopy, negative-indexsuperlenses microscopy, structured illumination microscopy, and stimulated emission depletion microscopy super resolved fluorescence microscopy.
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