Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for estimating locations of sub-wavelength-sized emitters, which may be sparsely arrayed among inactive emitters, in one or more dimensions to synthesize a super-resolved image. The emitter emits light in response to structured illumination, which may be acousto-optically generated. The structured illumination is translated, and a detector, such as a camera pixel, senses the emitted linear or nonlinear response, producing a periodic signal. A processor computes a phase of the signal using phase shifting interferometry and uses it to estimate the emitter location with resolution finer than a quarter of the illumination wavelength. Modulation depth and/or amplitude of the signal may be used to estimate emitter size and/or evaluate location fidelity. Optical sectioning or extended depth of field may be provided by controlling spatial coherence of the illumination. Encoding and decoding emitter locations with non-periodic patterns is also described.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01J 65/08 - Lamps in which a screen or coating is excited to luminesce by radioactive material located inside the vessel
• G01N 21/64 - FluorescencePhosphorescence
• G02B 21/16 - Microscopes adapted for ultraviolet illumination
• G02B 21/36 - Microscopes arranged for photographic purposes or projection purposes

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are provided for measuring and mapping ranges, reflectivities, and/or velocities of multiple locations on an object by illuminating the locations with uniquely frequency-encoded sensing beams, which may be generated using one or more acousto-optic devices. A detector is used to sense the interference of the sensing beams reflected from the object and one or more reference beams, which may be co-propagating with the sensing beams to/from the object and/or may be provided via a separate reference path. A processor is used to estimate lateral coordinates, ranges, reflectivities, and/or velocities of the illuminated locations based on the frequencies, phases, amplitudes, and Doppler shifts, respectively, of the corresponding spectral components of the temporal beat signal produced by the detector in response to the interference of the sensing and reference beams. The processor may also disambiguate the range at each measured location using a pair of closely-spaced spectral components.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01S 17/89 - Lidar systems, specially adapted for specific applications for mapping or imaging