title: Spectral-domain differential interference contrast microscopy.
abstract: We present a fiber-optic low-coherence imaging technique, termed spectral-domain differential interference contrast microscopy (SD-DIC), for quantitative DIC imaging of both reflective surfaces and transparent biological specimens. SD-DIC combines the common-path nature of a Nomarski DIC interferometer with the high sensitivity of spectral-domain low-coherence interferometry to obtain high-resolution, quantitative measurements of optical pathlength gradients from a single point on the sample. Full-field imaging can be achieved by scanning the sample. A reflected-light SD-DIC system was demonstrated using a USAF resolution target as the phase object. Live cardiomyocytes were also imaged, achieving a resolution of 36 pm for pathlength gradient measurements. The dynamics of cardiomyocyte contraction were recorded with high sensitivity at selected sites on the cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. yizheng.zhu@duke.edu
authors.forename: Yizheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Natan T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Shaked
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Satterwhite
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wax
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004867:Equipment Design; D007368:Interferometry; D008027:Light; D008857:Microscopy, Interference / Q000295:instrumentation*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley