High-resolution three-dimensional tomographic diffractive microscopy of transparent inorganic and biological samples

Matthieu Debailleul (1) , Vincent Georges , Bertrand Simon (1) , R. Morin (2) , Olivier Haeberlé (1)

1 MIPS - Modélisation, Intelligence, Processus et Système
2 CINaM - Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille

We have developed a tomographic diffractive microscope, equipped with a fluorescence confocal scanner. We measure experimentally the lateral resolution using an edge method and by comparing tomographic images of the same samples with wide-field and laser scanning confocal microscopy images; a scanning electron microscope image serves as a reference. The experimental resolution is shown to be to about 130 nm, or / 3.5 NA . This instrument also permits one to measure 3D, complex index of refraction distributions, a quantity that is not accessible to conventional microscopes, and we show how this feature may be used to observe KCl crystals, absorption of which is very weak.

Mots clés: Optical tomographic diffractive microscopy; Imaging systems; tomography; Three-dimensional microscopy; Digital holography

Domaines: Optique / photonique

Matthieu Debailleul, Vincent Georges, Bertrand Simon, R. Morin, Olivier Haeberlé. High-resolution three-dimensional tomographic diffractive microscopy of transparent inorganic and biological samples. Optics Letters, 2009, 34 (1), pp.79-81. ⟨10.1364/OL.34.000079⟩. ⟨hal-00453711⟩