Lock-in amplitude-phase correlations for enhanced imaging and segmentation in stimulated Raman scattering microscopy

Modulation transfer-based signal recovery methods, such as stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, commonly use lock-in amplifier amplitude and phase outputs, with each providing readily accessible yet complementary information. Here we show that 2D amplitude-phase correlations enhance both imaging and segmentation (chemical specificity) in spectral focusing SRS microscopy, exemplified here by the characterization of an economic lithium ore sample. We additionally demonstrate that bilateral filtering applied to 2D amplitude-phase correlations leads to improved edge-preserving imaging.