Resolution Limit in Microsphere-Assisted Super-Resolution Microscopy

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the resolution limits of microsphere-assisted super-resolution microscopy through detailed simulations, revealing oscillations in resolution based on particle size and identifying resonance effects.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive simulation-based resolution analysis and an analytical estimate for resolution criteria in microsphere-assisted imaging, highlighting size-dependent oscillations and resonances.

Findings

Resolution oscillates with microparticle size

Strong resonances occur in transmission and reflection modes

Resolution approaches classical limit for small objects

Abstract

Visualization in the virtual image formed by dielectric microparticles has been shown to enable the distinction of objects that remain indistinguishable under direct observation. We perform the resolution analysis based on a full two-dimensional simulation of optical image formation taking into account the diffraction of partially coherent light on the microparticle and the objects under study. The oscillating nature of optical resolution is demonstrated depending on the size of the microparticle. The presence of strong resonances is observed in both transmission and reflection modes. It is shown that as the size of the object decreases, the optical resolution tends to the classical limit. An analytical estimate for the resolution criterion in microsphere-assisted imaging is presented.