Sub-diffraction-limited imaging systems and methods
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsJingjing Li, Philip J. Kuekes
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for obtaining images of objects with higher resolution than the diffraction limit. In one aspect, a method for collecting evanescent waves scattered from an object comprises electronically configuring a reconfigurable device to operate as a grating for one or more lattice periods using a computing device. Propagating waves scattered from the object pass through the reconfigurable device and a portion of evanescent waves scattered from the object are projected into the far field of the object. The method includes detecting propagating waves and detecting the portion of evanescent waves projected into the far field for each lattice period using an imaging system.
Claims20
A system for generating a sub-diffraction limited image of an object, the system comprising:
- an imaging system;
- a reconfigurable device disposed between the object and the imaging system;
- and
- a computing device including a processor and a memory that executes a computer program that:
- electronically configures the reconfigurable device to operate as a grating for one or more grating lattice periods using the computing device, wherein propagating waves pass through the reconfigurable device and a portion of evanescent waves scattered from the object are projected into the far field of the object, after being scattered from the reconfigurable device,
- records propagating image data associated with propagating waves scattered from the object using the computing device, and
- records evanescent image data associated with the portion of evanescent waves projected into the far field for one or more grating lattice periods using the computing device for each lattice period.
A method for collecting electromagnetic waves scattered from an object, the method comprising:
- electronically configuring a reconfigurable device to operate as a grating for one or more lattice periods using a computing device, wherein, for each lattice period, propagating waves scattered from the object pass through the reconfigurable device and a portion of evanescent waves scattered from the object are diffracted into propagating components of the propagating waves by the grating and are projected into the far field of the object;
- detecting the propagating waves using an imaging system for each lattice period;
- and
- detecting the portion of evanescent waves projected into the far field for each lattice period using the imaging system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.