Scanning incremental focus microscopy

An apparatus for generating an enhanced image, the apparatus comprising:

• an input portion for obtaining emission intensities corresponding to intensities of emissions from an area of an object, the emission intensities emitted when the area of the object is scanned using a scanning probe having a probe size greater than or equal to a minimum probe size, the emission intensities obtained by configuring the probe with multiple different point spread functions each associated with a respective probe size, wherein the probe is configured with a first point spread function of the multiple different point spread functions, and a first set of emission intensities of the obtained emission intensities are obtained with the probe having the first point spread function, and the probe is reconfigured with a second point spread function of the multiple different point spread functions, and a second set of emission intensities of the obtained emission intensities are obtained with the probe having the second point spread function, wherein a point spread function of the multiple different point spread functions is associated with the minimum probe size, and wherein the obtained emission intensities comprise one or more convolutions, of a structure of the object within the scanned area of the object, with the multiple point spread functions with which the probe was configured to obtain the emission intensities;
• and
• a processor for generating from the obtained emission intensities, an enhanced image of the area of the object having a higher resolution that that provided by the point spread function associated with the minimum probe size, the generating comprising determining, based on the obtained emission intensities and at least some of the multiple different point spread functions with which the probe was configured and used to obtain emission intensities of the multiple emission intensities, an emission intensity emitted from a pixel area of the area of the object, the determining deconvoluting at least a portion of the structure of the object corresponding to the pixel area, wherein the generated enhanced image comprises a representation of the emission intensity emitted from the pixel area of the object, the pixel area being smaller than the minimum probe size.

An apparatus for imaging an object, the apparatus comprising:

• a probe source generating a probe and scanning the object with the probe configured with multiple different probe sizes each associated with a respective point spread function, wherein the probe is configured with a first probe size of the multiple different probe sizes and the probe is reconfigured with a second probe size of the multiple different probe sizes, and wherein a minimum probe size of the multiple different probe sizes is associated with a point spread function;
• a detector for detecting signals emitted from an area of the object when scanned using the probe configured with the multiple different probe sizes, wherein the detector detects a first set of signals emitted from the area of the object when scanned with the probe having the first probe size and a second set of signals emitted from the area of the object when scanned with the probe having the second probe size, the detected signals comprising one or more convolutions, of a structure of the object within the scanned area of the object, with the point spread functions associated with the multiple different probe sizes with which the probe was configured to scan the object;
• and
• a processor for determining, based on the first set of detected signals, the second set of detected signals, and the point spread functions associated with the multiple different probe sizes, at least one signal emitted from a pixel area of the object, the determining deconvoluting at least a portion of the structure of the object corresponding to the pixel area, and for generating, using the determined signal emitted from the pixel area, an enhanced image having a higher resolution than that provided by the point spread function associated with the minimum probe size, the generated enhanced image comprising a representation of the at least one signal emitted from the pixel area of the object, and the pixel area being smaller than the minimum probe size.

A computer program product for generating an image of an object, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
• obtaining images of an area of an object generated using a probe having a probe size greater than or equal to a minimum probe size, wherein obtaining the images comprises configuring the probe with multiple different point spread functions each associated with a respective probe size, wherein the probe is configured with a first point spread function of the multiple different point spread functions, and a first set of images of the obtained images are obtained with the probe having the first point spread function, and the probe is reconfigured with a second point spread function of the multiple different point spread functions, and a second set of images of the obtained images are obtained with the probe having the second point spread function, wherein a point spread function of the multiple different point spread functions is associated with the minimum probe size, and wherein the obtained images comprise one or more convolutions, of a structure of the object within the imaged area of the object, with the multiple point spread functions with which the probe was configured to obtain the images;
• and
• generating from the obtained images an enhanced image having a higher resolution than that provided by the point spread function associated with the minimum probe size, the generating comprising determining, based on the obtained images and at least some of the multiple different point spread functions with which the probe was configured and used to obtain images of the multiple images, an emission intensity emitted from a pixel area of the area of the object, the determining deconvoluting at least a portion of the structure of the object corresponding to the pixel area, wherein the generated enhanced image comprises a representation of the emission intensity emitted from the pixel area of the area of the object, the pixel area being smaller than the minimum probe size.