# Application of Super-Sampling to Microscopy Images Produces Image Resolution below Optical Diffraction Limit

**Authors:** James N. Caron

arXiv: 2508.21714 · 2025-09-01

## TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the ImPASS computational imaging algorithm can be applied to widefield microscopy images to surpass the optical diffraction limit, achieving nearly threefold resolution enhancement.

## Contribution

The study applies the ImPASS super-sampling method to microscopy images, showing it can exceed the diffraction limit without extensive customization.

## Key findings

- Resolution improved by a factor of 2.68
- Diffraction limit subceeded by a factor of 1.79
- Method successfully applied to real microscopy images

## Abstract

Image Phase Alignment Super-Sampling (ImPASS) is a computational imaging algorithm for converting a sequence of displaced low-resolution images into a single high-resolution image. The method consists of a unique combination of Phase Correlation image registration and SeDDaRA blind deconvolution. The method has previously been validated in simulations and applied successfully to images captured in a laboratory setting. As discussed here, the performance of ImPASS surpasses similar methods that provide quantitative results. ImPASS is applied for the first time to images taken by a widefield microscope, requiring no customization other than a translation stage, to determine if this approach can subceed the diffraction limit for this application. The 80-frame image sets had as targets a slide with a slice of Porcine Cornea, and a standard US Air Force resolution chart, providing quantitative and quantitative assessments. The sets were up-sampled by a factor of eight, aligned, combined, and processed. The measurement revealed that image resolution improved by a factor of 2.68 and subceeded the diffraction limit by a factor of 1.79.

## Full text

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## Figures

14 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/2508.21714/full.md

## References

48 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/2508.21714/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/2508.21714