Abstract
A reflection phase microscope (RPM) can be equipped with the capability of depth selection by employing a gating mechanism. However, it is difficult to achieve an axial resolution close to the diffraction limit in real implementation. Here, we systematically investigated the uneven interference contrast produced by pupil transmittance of the objective lens and found that it was the main cause of the practical limit that prevents the axial resolution from reaching its diffraction limit. Then we modulated the power of illumination light to obtain a uniform interference contrast over the entire pupil. Consequently, we could achieve an axial resolution fairly close to the diffraction limit set by the experimental conditions.
Highlights
A reflection phase microscope (RPM) can be equipped with the capability of depth selection by employing a gating mechanism
The RPMs including the successive accumulation of interferograms (SAI), which rely on the spatial coherence, have demonstrated good imaging performances and shown an axial resolution near the one expected by theory, but it has been very difficult to reach the limit, for high numerical aperture (NA) imaging, in real implementations
We investigated the pupil transmittance of the objective lens and found that it reduced at high NA region
Summary
A reflection phase microscope (RPM) can be equipped with the capability of depth selection by employing a gating mechanism. This is the origin of the depth selectivity produced by the SAI process and its ability to reject the out-of-focus information, i.e., the axial resolution of the system, thoroughly depends on the uniformity of the interference contrast over all the spatial frequency components. For the case of arbitrary pathlength difference z amplitudes of the sample and the reference beam, between the two respectively, kz is arms, where ES0 and ER0 the z-component of the are constant input wavevector k , kxR is the wavevector caused by the off-axis configuration along the x-axis, and φu(k) is the angle-dependent phase mismatch between the two waves.
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.
