Microscope apparatus and method for phase image acquisition

A method of acquiring phase information, the method comprising:

• splitting an illuminating electromagnetic wave into a first component along a first path and a second component along a second path at a first location, wherein the first path has a fixed length, and the second path has an adjustable length being set using a movable reflector module;
• recombining the first component and the second component at a second location where the first path rejoins the second path;
• loading an object in the first path between the first location and the second location;
• acquiring, from an observing device, three intensity measurements of an intensity plot of the object at each of two positions of the movable reflector module, each measurement representative of an electric field distribution near the object;
• and
• extracting the phase information of the object from the intensity measurements.

A method of reconstructing a near-field image of an object, the method comprising:

• positioning the object between a first location and a second location;
• illuminating the object with a first portion of an electromagnetic wave along a first path;
• redirecting, at the first location, a second portion of the electromagnetic wave along a second path, using a movable reflector module;
• rejoining, at the second location, the first portion of the electromagnetic wave and the second portion of the electromagnetic wave;
• directing the rejoined electromagnetic wave to an objective lens configured to magnify the rejoined electromagnetic wave;
• and
• obtaining a phase image of the object using an observing device, wherein the phase image is based on positioning of the movable reflector module and representative of an electric field distribution near the object.