Super-resolution optical imaging device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses super-resolution optical imaging device and method. The super-resolution optical imaging device comprises a base. The base is provided with a groove (a step); the difference of optical paths passing through the groove (the step) and the edge of the groove (the outside of the step) is a half of the length of a light wave emitted by an imaging object due to the design of thedepth of the groove (the height of the step); light beams positioned right above the groove (the step) are emitted to the bottom surface of the groove (the surface of the step); half of other light beams pass through the bottom surface of the groove (the surface of the step), the other half of the same pass through the edge of the base, and the light beams passing through the bottom surface of the groove (the surface of the step) and the edge of the base carry out self-mixing interference cancellation to obtain the information of the light beams positioned right above the groove on the base so as to break through a diffraction limit. The invention has small size and simple structure and realizes the super-resolution imaging.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a device and method for realizing super-resolution optical imaging based on self-mixing interference. Background technique [0002] Resolution in far-field optics is limited by diffraction effects. In 1873, German scientist Abbe (Abbe) deduced the diffraction resolution limit for the first time based on the diffraction theory, that is, the distance between two points that can be resolved optically is always greater than half of the wavelength. Later, Rayleigh summarized Abbe's diffraction theory into a formula: [0003] d ≥ 0.61 λ NA [0004] This is known as the Rayleigh criterion. This criterion shows that when the distance d between two points on the object is greater than or equal to the amount specified on the right side of the inequality, the image points of the two points on the object can be distinguished. Otherwise, the t...

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Problems solved by technology

[0005] According to the Rayleigh criterion, the resolution is proportional to the wavelength λ of the incident light in vacuum, and inversely proportional to the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens. Therefore, there are two traditional methods to improve the resolution: first, choose as short as possible Radiation wavelengths, such as using ultraviolet light, x-rays, electrons, etc., but these light sources are expensive and not suitable for some applications, especially biomedical applications; second, increase the numerical aperture, but if you do not consider the higher For oil immersion objective lenses (NA=1.5 or so) and solid immersion lenses that are rare and difficult to use, the maximum value of numerical aperture does not exceed 1. Therefore, using traditional methods, the resolution limit of far-field optics can only reach λ / 2 at the highest

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