Spatial light interference microscopy: principle and applications to biomedicine

Xi Chen; Mikhail E. Kandel; Gabriel Popescu

doi:10.1364/AOP.417837

Advances in Optics and Photonics
Vol. 13,
Issue 2,
pp. 353-425
(2021)
•https://doi.org/10.1364/AOP.417837

Spatial light interference microscopy: principle and applications to biomedicine

Xi Chen, Mikhail E. Kandel, and Gabriel Popescu

Get PDF
Email
Share
Get Citation
Copy Citation Text
Xi Chen, Mikhail E. Kandel, and Gabriel Popescu, "Spatial light interference microscopy: principle and applications to biomedicine," Adv. Opt. Photon. 13, 353-425 (2021)

Export Citation
- BibTex
- Endnote (RIS)
- HTML
- Plain Text
Citation alert
Save article

Check for updates

Related Topics
Table of Contents Category
- Imaging Systems and Microscopy
Optics & Photonics Topics
?

The topics in this list come from the Optics and Photonics Topics applied to this article.

About this Article
History
- Original Manuscript: December 16, 2020
- Revised Manuscript: March 18, 2021
- Manuscript Accepted: March 28, 2021
- Published: May 5, 2021

Accepted Manuscript
Download Accepted Manuscript
Access to this article is made available via and is subject to OSA Publishing Terms of Use.

Abstract

In this paper, we review spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM), a common-path, phase-shifting interferometer, built onto a phase-contrast microscope, with white-light illumination. As one of the most sensitive quantitative phase imaging (QPI) methods, SLIM allows for speckle-free phase reconstruction with sub-nanometer path-length stability. We first review image formation in QPI, scattering, and full-field methods. Then, we outline SLIM imaging from theory and instrumentation to diffraction tomography. Zernike’s phase-contrast microscopy, phase retrieval in SLIM, and halo removal algorithms are discussed. Next, we discuss the requirements for operation, with a focus on software developed in-house for SLIM that enables high-throughput acquisition, whole slide scanning, mosaic tile registration, and imaging with a color camera. We introduce two methods for solving the inverse problem using SLIM, white-light tomography, and Wolf phase tomography. Lastly, we review the applications of SLIM in basic science and clinical studies. SLIM can study cell dynamics, cell growth and proliferation, cell migration, mass transport, etc. In clinical settings, SLIM can assist with cancer studies, reproductive technology, blood testing, etc. Finally, we review an emerging trend, where SLIM imaging in conjunction with artificial intelligence brings computational specificity and, in turn, offers new solutions to outstanding challenges in cell biology and pathology.

Full Article | PDF Article

More Like This

Diffraction phase microscopy: principles and applications in materials and life sciences

Basanta Bhaduri, Chris Edwards, Hoa Pham, Renjie Zhou, Tan H. Nguyen, Lynford L. Goddard, and Gabriel Popescu
Adv. Opt. Photon. 6(1) 57-119 (2014)

Principles of interference microscopy for the measurement of surface topography

Peter de Groot
Adv. Opt. Photon. 7(1) 1-65 (2015)

Fano resonance for applications

Mikhail F. Limonov
Adv. Opt. Photon. 13(3) 703-771 (2021)

Previous Article Next Article

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (52)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Tables (2)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article tables are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Equations (61)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Equations are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Xi Chen	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8609-5391
Mikhail E. Kandel	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2124-7750
Gabriel Popescu	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8296-8095

Label-Free Imaging Modality	Contrast Mechanism	Widefield/Scanning	Transmission/Reflection	Lateral Resolution (µm)	Axial Resolution (µm)	Penetration Depth (µm)
Bright-field	Absorption	W/S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 100$
Dark-field	Absorption/refraction	W	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 25$
Phase-contrast	Refraction	W	T	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 150$
DIC	Refraction	W/S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 300$
SLIM	Refraction	W	T	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 150$
OCT	Scattering	W/S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 8$	$\sim 3000$
STEAM	Scattering	S	T/R	$\sim 0.7$	N/A	$\sim 100$
SHGM	$χ^{(2)}$ properties	S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 1, 000$
THGM	$χ^{(3)}$ properties	S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 1, 000$
CRSM	Vibrational modes	S	T/R	$\sim 0.2$	$\sim 1$	$\sim 100$
SRS	Vibrational modes	S	T/R	$\sim 0.2$	$\sim 1$	$\sim 100$
CARS	Vibrational modes	S	T/R	$\sim 2$	$\sim 1$	$\sim 100$
CRM	Vibrational modes	S	R	$\sim 0.25$	$\sim 1$	$\sim 100$
FLIM	Autofluorescence lifetime	W/S	R	$\sim 0.25$	$\sim 0.25$	$\sim 200$
Light-sheet	Autofluorescence	W	T/R	$\sim 0.25$	$\sim 0.5$	$\sim 300$
4pi & $I^{5}$ M	Autofluorescence	W/S	T/R	$\sim 0.1$	$\sim 0.1$	$\sim 50$
Two-photon	Autofluorescence	W/S	R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 1000$
FTIR	Infrared spectrum	S	R	$\sim 5$	N/A	$\sim 1$
PAT	Photoacoustic effect	W	R	$\sim 0.5$ to $\sim 100$	$\sim 50$	$\sim 50, 000$
DOI	Absorption	W	R	$\sim 1000$	N/A	$\sim 50, 000$
OPT	Transmission or emission	W	T/R	$\sim 10$	$\sim 10$	$\sim 5000$
Photothermal	Nonlinear refraction	W	T/R	$\sim 5$	$\sim 5$	$\sim 50$
Near-field	Scattering/autofluorescence	S	T/R	$\sim 0.02$	$\sim 0.003$	$\sim 0.7$

	Time-Bandwidth Product	Space-Bandwidth Product	Temporal Phase Sensitivity	Spatial Phase Sensitivity
Off-axis	✓
Phase-shifting
Common path
White-light

Label-Free Imaging Modality	Contrast Mechanism	Widefield/Scanning	Transmission/Reflection	Lateral Resolution (µm)	Axial Resolution (µm)	Penetration Depth (µm)
Bright-field	Absorption	W/S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 100$
Dark-field	Absorption/refraction	W	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 25$
Phase-contrast	Refraction	W	T	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 150$
DIC	Refraction	W/S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 300$
SLIM	Refraction	W	T	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 150$
OCT	Scattering	W/S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 8$	$\sim 3000$
STEAM	Scattering	S	T/R	$\sim 0.7$	N/A	$\sim 100$
SHGM	$χ^{(2)}$ properties	S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 1, 000$
THGM	$χ^{(3)}$ properties	S	T/R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 1, 000$
CRSM	Vibrational modes	S	T/R	$\sim 0.2$	$\sim 1$	$\sim 100$
SRS	Vibrational modes	S	T/R	$\sim 0.2$	$\sim 1$	$\sim 100$
CARS	Vibrational modes	S	T/R	$\sim 2$	$\sim 1$	$\sim 100$
CRM	Vibrational modes	S	R	$\sim 0.25$	$\sim 1$	$\sim 100$
FLIM	Autofluorescence lifetime	W/S	R	$\sim 0.25$	$\sim 0.25$	$\sim 200$
Light-sheet	Autofluorescence	W	T/R	$\sim 0.25$	$\sim 0.5$	$\sim 300$
4pi & $I^{5}$ M	Autofluorescence	W/S	T/R	$\sim 0.1$	$\sim 0.1$	$\sim 50$
Two-photon	Autofluorescence	W/S	R	$\sim 0.3$	$\sim 2$	$\sim 1000$
FTIR	Infrared spectrum	S	R	$\sim 5$	N/A	$\sim 1$
PAT	Photoacoustic effect	W	R	$\sim 0.5$ to $\sim 100$	$\sim 50$	$\sim 50, 000$
DOI	Absorption	W	R	$\sim 1000$	N/A	$\sim 50, 000$
OPT	Transmission or emission	W	T/R	$\sim 10$	$\sim 10$	$\sim 5000$
Photothermal	Nonlinear refraction	W	T/R	$\sim 5$	$\sim 5$	$\sim 50$
Near-field	Scattering/autofluorescence	S	T/R	$\sim 0.02$	$\sim 0.003$	$\sim 0.7$

	Time-Bandwidth Product	Space-Bandwidth Product	Temporal Phase Sensitivity	Spatial Phase Sensitivity
Off-axis	✓
Phase-shifting
Common path
White-light

Spatial light interference microscopy: principle and applications to biomedicine

Author Affiliations

ORCID

Abstract

Cited By

Figures (52)

Tables (2)

Equations (61)

Advances in Optics and Photonics