Open AccessSLM-based off-axis Fourier filtering in microscopy with white light illumination
Author(s) -
Ruth Steiger,
Stefan Bernet,
Monika RitschMarte
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.015377
Subject(s) - optics , spatial light modulator , materials science , grating , spatial frequency , spatial filter , fourier transform , narrowband , diffraction grating , diffraction , microscopy , optoelectronics , physics , quantum mechanics
In various microscopy applications spatial light modulators (SLMs) are used as programmable Fourier filters to realize different optical contrast enhancement methods. It is often advantageous to use the SLM in off-axis configuration, where the filtered image wave is sent into the first diffraction order of a blazed grating superposed to the phase mask on the SLM. Because of dispersion this approach is, however, typically limited to spectrally narrowband illumination. Here we suggest a method involving a grating for pre-compensation, which allows one to use spectrally broadband (even thermal) light in SLM-based Fourier filtering. The proposed approach is demonstrated by multicolor imaging of amplitude and phase objects, such as a resolution target, onion epidermal cells and human epithelial cheek cells.