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PUBLICATIONS

Programmable Vector Point-Spread Function Engineering

Published

Author(s)

M R. Beversluis, L Novotny, Stephan J. Stranick

Abstract

We use a nematic liquid crystal spatial light modulator (SLM) to control the vector point spread function of a microscope objective by manipulating the pupil field polarization. In combination with an achromatic quarter-wave plate, the SLM acts as a spatially programmable optical rotator. When the SLM rotator is conjugate with the pupil of a 1.3 NA microscope objective, each pixel corresponds to a vector Fourier component of the objective focus. Thisallows us to control the microscope's vector point spread function (VPSF). We measure the VPSF for linear and radial-like polarized pupil planes using single dye molecules as local field probes.
Citation
Optics Express
Volume
14
Issue
No. 7
Pub Type
Journals

Keywords

microscopy, point-spread function

Citation

Beversluis, M. , Novotny, L. and Stranick, S. (2006), Programmable Vector Point-Spread Function Engineering, Optics Express (Accessed November 4, 2025)

Issues

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Created April 1, 2006, Updated February 17, 2017
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