Super-resolution imaging with patchy microspheres

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method using partially Ag-plated microspheres to overcome low contrast in microsphere-based super-resolution microscopy, significantly improving imaging quality by forming a photonic hook with oblique near-field illumination.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that Ag-plated microspheres create a photonic hook, enhancing contrast and resolution in microsphere-based super-resolution imaging.

Findings

Enhanced imaging contrast with Ag-plated microspheres

Successful imaging of Blu-ray disc surface and silica particles

Photonic hook formation improves super-resolution capabilities

Abstract

The diffraction limit is a fundamental barrier in optical microscopy, which restricts the smallest resolvable feature size of a microscopic system. Microsphere-based microscopy has proven to be a promosing tool for challenging the diffraction limit. Nevertheless, the microspheres have a low imaging contrast in the air, which hinders the application of this technique. In this Letter, we demonstrate that this challenge can be effectively overcome by using partially Ag-plated microspheres. The deposited Ag film acts as an aperture stop that blocks a portion of the incident beam, forming a photonic hook with oblique near-field illumination. Such a photonic hook significantly enhanced imaging contrast, as experimentally verified by imaging Blu-ray disc surface and silica particle arrays.