Abstract
In classical optical imaging, the Rayleigh diffraction limit dR is defined as the minimum resolvable separation between two points under incoherent light illumination. In this paper, we analyze the minimum resolvable separation between two points under partially coherent beam illumination. We find that the image resolution of two points can overcome the classic Rayleigh diffraction limit through manipulating the correlation function of a partially coherent source, and the image resolution, which independent of the specified positions of two points in the object plane, can in principle reach the value of 0.17dR. Furthermore, we carry out an experimental demonstration of sub-Rayleigh imaging of a 1951 USAF resolution target via engineering the correlation function of the illuminating beam. Our experimental results are in agreement with our theoretical predictions.
Highlights
There has been a growing interesting in partially coherent beams with prescribed correlation functions due to their extraordinary properties displayed on propagation and on interacting with random media [17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37]
Summary We summarize by saying that we analyzed the image of two pinholes in a telecentric imaging system under partially coherent beam with prescribed correlation function illumination
We have found that the image resolution, which is independent of precise positions of two pinholes in the object plane, can overcome the classical Rayleigh diffraction limit dR via controlling the source correlation function
Summary
Coherence is one of the salient features of light, and it plays an important role in many applications, such as optical imaging [1,2,3,4], coincidence fractional Fourier transform [5], wavefront sensing [6], free-space optical communications [7, 8], optical scattering [9], information transfer and detection [10, 11], plasmonics [12,13,14], optical trapping and guiding [15, 16]. Sub-Rayleigh resolution was achieved through improving image reconstruction techniques [38,39,40] or modulating the properties (e.g., amplitude and phase) of the illumination light [41,42,43,44,45]. Some studies have shown that by modulating the phase of the illumination light, e.g. vortex phase, the separation distance of two luminous points may overcome the Rayleigh limit [41,42,43,44] It was shown in [41] that a subRayleigh separation distance about one order magnitude below the Rayleigh criterion can be achieved using two mutually incoherent overlapping optical vortices with different topological charges. We experimentally demonstrate sub-Rayleigh imaging of a 1951 USAF resolution target under LGCSM beam illumination
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
