Wide-field, full-field optical coherence microscopy for high-axial-resolution phase and amplitude imaging

Area of Science:

• Optical microscopy
• Biomedical imaging
• Metrology

Background:

• Traditional microscopy techniques often struggle with imaging subsurface structures in semi-transparent materials.
• Accurate characterization of multilayer samples requires high resolution and precision in both depth and lateral dimensions.
• Existing methods for phase and amplitude imaging may lack the field of view or sensitivity for comprehensive analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a single-objective, full-field optical coherence microscopy (OCM) system.
• To achieve high-resolution, depth-resolved imaging of both phase and amplitude in semi-transparent samples.
• To compare phase-shifting interferometry algorithms for optimal phase measurement with broadband light.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a novel single-objective, full-field OCM system.
• Utilizing a specialized stack acquisition arrangement for extended imaging depth.
• Theoretical and experimental comparison of various phase-shifting interferometry algorithms.
• Acquisition of both phase and amplitude data from samples.

Main Results:

• The OCM system provides imaging of phase and amplitude over a 17.5 mm x 17.5 mm field of view with 1.5 μm axial resolution.
• Noninvasive, depth-resolved topographic images of multilayer samples were generated, revealing defects and curvature with nanometric precision.
• Tomographic images of biological specimens were obtained with a consistent detection sensitivity of approximately 80 dB across the entire field of view.

Conclusions:

• The developed OCM system offers a powerful tool for high-precision, noninvasive characterization of multilayered and biological samples.
• The system's ability to simultaneously capture phase and amplitude information enhances its utility in diverse imaging applications.
• The findings demonstrate the potential of this OCM approach for advanced material science and biomedical research.