Abstract

The phase optical transfer function (POTF) is a critical aspect of image formation theory for high-resolution phase imaging such as spatial light interference microscopy. However, current analytic formulae for the POTF do not match experimental results. Further, when used for deconvolution, halo artifacts still persist, and the contrast improvement is rather limited. We hypothesize that one of the reasons for this is that, during the derivation of POTF, the objective is assumed to focus at a plane outside of the sample. In this work, we have derived a new, to the best of our knowledge, POTF assuming that the objective is focused at a plane inside the sample (iPOTF), which more closely matches experimental results. When used for deconvolution, iPOTF not only leads to higher contrast of dim structures but also reduces halos compared with the traditional POTF.

© 2024 Optica Publishing Group. All rights, including for text and data mining (TDM), Artificial Intelligence (AI) training, and similar technologies, are reserved.

Simultaneous 3D deconvolution and halo removal for spatial light interference microscopy through a two-edge apodized Wiener filter

Yang Pan, Siyue Guo, Zachary J. Smith, and Kaiqin Chu
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 39(2) 287-296 (2022)

Image reconstruction for low cost spatial light interference microscopy with fixed and arbitrary phase modulation

Yang Pan, Zachary J. Smith, and Kaiqin Chu
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 40(6) 1155-1164 (2023)

Super-resolved spatial light interference microscopy

Kaiqin Chu, Zachary J. Smith, Sebastian Wachsmann-Hogiu, and Stephen Lane
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 29(3) 344-351 (2012)

Analytical phase optical transfer function for Gaussian illumination and the optimized illumination profiles

Jianhui Huang, Yijun Bao, and Thomas K. Gaylord
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 38(5) 750-764 (2021)

Three-dimensional phase optical transfer function in axially symmetric microscopic quantitative phase imaging

Jianhui Huang, Yijun Bao, and Thomas K. Gaylord
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 37(12) 1857-1872 (2020)