Subwavelength resolution optical microscopy
AssigneeUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore
InventorsJoseph R. Lakowicz, Mustafa Habib Chowdhury, Chandran R. Sabanayagam
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Abstract
Provided herein are methods for imaging subwavelength structures in three dimensions and with high resolution. The methods comprise illuminating subwavelength structures with an illuminating wavelength of light and detecting the self-image generated thereby at a distance distal to the structures. Also provided is a method for confining propagating light to a sub-diffraction limit dimension by illuminating a surface of a metal structure with subwavelength features with a wavelength of coherent light such that light propagating from the features is confined to a dimension that is a sub-diffraction limit thereof.
Claims19
A method for three-dimensional imaging of subwavelength structures with high resolution, comprising:
- illuminating a metal structure having features with dimensions that are a subwavelength of an illuminating incident light wavelength to generate a self-image thereof;
- and
- detecting the Talbot self-image with a photodetector at a distance distal to the metal structure thereby producing a three-dimensional high resolution image;
- wherein the subwavelength features on the structures by a mapping spatial intensity distribution of light transmitted through the metal structures at distances from the metal surface and the self-image is the map of the intensity distribution of the light at various distances to be imaged from the metal structures.
A method for imaging an object of interest comprising:
- applying the object of interest to a metal structure, said object having dimensions that are a subwavelength of a wavelength of incident illuminating light;
- illuminating the metal structure with the incident light to generate a self-image thereof;
- and
- detecting the Talbot self-image with a photodetector at a distance distal to the metal structure thereby imaging the object of interest;
- wherein the subwavelength features on the structures by a mapping spatial intensity distribution of light transmitted through the metal structures at distances from the metal surface and the self-image is the map of the intensity distribution of the light at various distances to be imaged form the metal structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.