Dome-APIC illumination design for high space-bandwidth product analytic imaging

Area of Science:

• Computational imaging
• Optical microscopy
• Image reconstruction

Background:

• Computational imaging techniques aim to overcome limitations in resolution and field-of-view (FOV).
• Angular Ptychographic Imaging with Close-form method (APIC) reconstructs optical aberrations and complex fields.
• APIC's flat illumination setup limits simultaneous high resolution and large FOV reconstruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an improved illumination framework for APIC to enhance resolution and FOV.
• To enable simultaneous reconstruction of large areas with high resolution using APIC.
• To overcome the limitations of flat illumination in APIC systems.

Main Methods:

• Introduction of a novel illumination framework for APIC using a distant annular LED ring and an LED dome.
• Development of a new prototype system, termed Dome-APIC.
• Utilizing NA-matching and darkfield illuminations within the new framework.

Main Results:

• Dome-APIC enables reconstruction of a larger area with an extended synthetic numerical aperture.
• Achieved 620nm resolution with a 10×/0.25 NA objective lens.
• Demonstrated a field-of-view of 450 µm x 450 µm in a single measurement set.

Conclusions:

• The proposed illumination framework significantly enhances APIC's capability for high-resolution, large-FOV imaging.
• Dome-APIC overcomes previous limitations, offering improved performance in computational microscopy.
• This advancement facilitates distortion-free imaging with a superior space-bandwidth product.