Han Cui

Real-time laser differential confocal microscopy without sample reflectivity effects.

A new real-time laser differential confocal microscopy (RLDCM) without sample reflectivity difference effects is proposed for imaging height topography of sample surface, which divides the confocal microscopy imaging light path into two confocal microscopy imaging paths before and after focus with the equal axial detector offset oriented in opposite direction. By dividing the difference of the two signals simultaneously detected from these two confocal imaging paths by the higher signal between these two signals, RLDCM separates the signal that comes from reflectivity heterogeneity from the topographic signal in real time for the first time. RLDCM significantly reduces the height topography imaging time by single-layer scanning for the sample surface with reflectivity heterogeneity, and it achieves high axial resolution and lateral resolution similar to CM by optimizing the axial detector offset. Theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that RLDCM realizes the real-time surface imaging for line structures featuring Silicon Dioxide steps on a Silicon base and achieves 2-nm axial depth resolution without reducing lateral resolution.

Improving spatial resolution of confocal Raman microscopy by super-resolution image restoration

A new super-resolution image restoration confocal Raman microscopy method (SRIR-RAMAN) is proposed for improving the spatial resolution of confocal Raman microscopy. This method can recover the lost high spatial frequency of the confocal Raman microscopy by using Poisson-MAP super-resolution imaging restoration, thereby improving the spatial resolution of confocal Raman microscopy and realizing its super-resolution imaging. Simulation analyses and experimental results indicate that the spatial resolution of SRIR-RAMAN can be improved by 65% to achieve 200 nm with the same confocal Raman microscopy system. This method can provide a new tool for high spatial resolution micro-probe structure detection in physical chemistry, materials science, biomedical science and other areas.

Three-dimensional super-resolution correlation-differential confocal microscopy with nanometer axial focusing accuracy

We present a correlation-differential confocal microscopy (CDCM), a novel method that can simultaneously improve the three-dimensional spatial resolution and axial focusing accuracy of confocal microscopy (CM). CDCM divides the CM imaging light path into two paths, where the detectors are before and after the focus with an equal axial offset in opposite directions. Then, the light intensity signals received from the two paths are processed by the correlation product and differential subtraction to improve the CM spatial resolution and axial focusing accuracy, respectively. Theoretical analyses and preliminary experiments indicate that, for the excitation wavelength of λ = 405 nm, numerical aperture of NA = 0.95, and the normalized axial offset of uM = 5.21, the CDCM resolution is improved by more than 20% and more than 30% in the lateral and axial directions, respectively, compared with that of the CM. Also, the axial focusing resolution important for the imaging of sample surface profiles is improved to 1 nm.

The method of axial drift compensation of laser differential confocal microscopy based on zero-tracking

Laser differential confocal microscopy (DCM) has advantages of high axial resolution and strong ability of focus identification. However, the imaging mechanism of point scanning needs long measurement time, in the process due to itself mechanical instability and the influence of environment vibration the axial drift of object position is inevitable, which will reduce lateral resolution of the DCM. To ensure the lateral resolution we propose an axial drift compensation method based on zero-tracking in this paper. The method takes advantage of the linear region of differential confocal axial response curve, gets axial drift by detecting the laser intensity; uses grating sensor to monitor the real-time axial drift of lifting stage and realizes closed-loop control; uses capacitive sensor of objective driver to measure its position. After getting the axial drift of object, the lifting stage and objective driver will be driven to compensate position according to the axial drift. This method is realized by using Visual Studio 2010, and the experiment demonstrates that the compensation precision of the proposed method can reach 6 nm. It is not only easy to implement, but also can compensate the axial drift actively and real-timely. Above all, this method improves the system stability of DCM effectively.