Axially-offset differential interference contrast microscopy via polarization wavefront shaping

Sample-scan phase contrast imaging was demonstrated by producing and coherently recombining light from a pair of axially offset focal planes. Placing a homogeneous medium in one of the two focal planes enables quantitative phase imaging using only common-path optics, recovering absolute phase without halo or oblique-illumination artifacts. Axially offset foci separated by 70 μm with a 10x objective were produced through polarization wavefront shaping using a matched pair of custom-designed microretarder arrays, compatible with retrofitting into conventional commercial microscopes. Quantitative phase imaging was achieved by two complementary approaches: i) rotation of a half wave plate, and ii) 50 kHz polarization modulation with lock-in amplification for detection.