title: Dark-field imaging with cylindrical-vector beams.
abstract: Dark-field illumination provides an imaging mode that rejects specular light, thereby highlighting edge features. We analyze dark-field imaging by using cylindrical vector beam illumination with a confocal microscope equipped with a microstructure fiber mode filter. A numerical model based on rigorous coupled-wave analysis has been used to analyze the method. We acquired images of separated edges features to investigate the edge separation resolution of the method. A through-focus comparison of azimuthal and radial polarization shows a measurable dependence of edge separation on polarization.
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA. bissdp@gmail.com
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Biss
authors.forename: Kathleen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Youngworth
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast / Q000379:methods*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity