Method and apparatus for improving the resolution and/or sectioning ability of an imaging system

US8405059B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KING'S COLLEGE LONDON · GB

Inventors

• Rainer Heintzmann · Oebisfelde, DE
• Kai Wicker · Jena, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 1, 2008
• Grant date: Mar 26, 2013
• Expiry date: Jan 9, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B21/0056
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention allow the operation of confocal microscopes with relatively open pinholes (e.g. 1 Airy unit) whilst still giving a significant XY resolution improvement. In addition axial (Z) discrimination or resolution may also be improved. This is achieved by splitting the emitted light path in an interferometric fashion. One of the split beams is then directed to an image transformation system, which may perform an image inversion which inverts at least one coordinate in image space. The transformed beam and the non-transformed beam are then recombined in an interferometric fashion (i.e. coherently added), which provides an interference effect resulting in increased resolution of the image. Where the embodiments are being used in a confocal application, the resulting combined beam can then be subject to a spatially discriminating means, such as a pinhole, or the like.