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Orientation independent retardation imaging using quantitative polarized phase microscopy
Author(s) -
Dragomir N.M.,
Roberts A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.22082
Subject(s) - polarizer , birefringence , optics , polarized light microscopy , polarimetry , polarization (electrochemistry) , polarization microscopy , orientation (vector space) , materials science , microscopy , optical microscope , optical axis , microscope , phase (matter) , transverse plane , physics , scattering , chemistry , mathematics , biology , scanning electron microscope , geometry , quantum mechanics , anatomy , lens (geology)
Simultaneous optical phase and retardation measurement of a birefringent specimen is demonstrated independently of a priori knowledge of the optic axis orientation. The two‐dimensional retardation distribution in both magnitude and angle of the fast axis orientation is uniquely determined from transverse phase images recorded with a bright field transmission microscope using light polarized at a minimum of three different polarization orientations. This approach opens a new possibility for stain‐free phase and orientation‐independent retardation characterization of samples using only one polarizer without needing other additional optical elements traditionally used in polarimetric measurements. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.