Search results for "Exit pupil"

New Analytical Tools for Evaluation of Spherical Aberration in Optical Microscopy

2010

The required tightly focused spots in three-dimensional (3D) scanning optical techniques are usually achieved by high-NA immersion lenses. The refractive index mismatch between the sample and the immersion medium introduces an important amount of spherical aberration when imaging deep inside the specimen, spreading out the focusing response. Since this aberration depends on the focalization depth, it is not possible to simultaneously achieve a global compensation for the whole scanned sample. In this way, the design of pupil elements that increase the tolerance to this aberration is of great interest. We present a new formalism for the evaluation and the design of filters that decrease the …