Open AccessVectorial, high numerical aperture study of Nomarski’s differential interference contrast microscope
Author(s) -
Peter Munro,
Péter Török
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.006833
Subject(s) - optics , differential interference contrast microscopy , microscope , numerical aperture , interference (communication) , aperture (computer memory) , interference microscopy , scattering , confocal , physics , microscopy , materials science , computer science , telecommunications , acoustics , wavelength , channel (broadcasting)
It is well known that vectorial analysis is essential to the study of high numerical aperture (NA) bright field scanning microscopes. We have constructed a high NA, vectorial model of a scanned Di.erential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscope which demonstrates that vectorial analysis is even more important to the study of this device. Our model is valid for coherent illumination and is able to model arbitrary scattering objects through the application of rigorous numerical methods for calculating electromagnetic scattering. We use our model to demonstrate how parameters such as sheer and bias a.ect imaging properties of both confocal and conventional scanning type DIC microscopes.