Abstract

Reflection phase imaging provides label-free, high-resolution characterization of biological samples, typically using interferometric-based techniques. Here, we investigate reflection phase microscopy from -only measurements under diverse illumination. We evaluate the forward and inverse scattering model based on the first Born approximation for imaging scattering objects above a glass slide. Under this design, the measured field combines forward-scattering and height-dependent back-scattering from the object that complicates object phase recovery. Using only the forward-scattering, we derive a linear inverse scattering model and evaluate this model's validity range in simulation and experiment using a standard reflection microscope modified with a programmable light source. Our method provides enhanced contrast of thin, weakly scattering samples that complement transmission techniques. This model provides a promising development for creating simplified intensity-based reflection quantitative phase imaging systems easily adoptable for biological research.

MeSH

Microscopy

Cited by

• Spatial light interference microscopy: principle and applications to biomedicine. Adv Opt Photonics, 2022
• Perspective on quantitative phase imaging to improve precision cancer medicine. J Biomed Opt, 2024
• Label-free superior contrast with c-band ultra-violet extinction microscopy. Light Sci Appl, 2023
• Phase contrast reflectance confocal brain imaging at 1650 nm. J Biomed Opt, 2024
• LED array reflectance microscopy for scattering-based multi-contrast imaging. Opt Lett, 2021
• Review of bio-optical imaging systems with a high space-bandwidth product. Adv Photonics, 2022
• Single-cell cytometry via multiplexed fluorescence prediction by label-free reflectance microscopy. Sci Adv, 2021