Brief retrospect of super-resolution optical microscopy techniques

Abstract

In the last few decades, nanoscience and nanotechnology have been growing with breath taking speed, and how to break through the diffraction limit and tame the light on a nanoscale have become the major challenges in optics. In this field, several super-resolution optical nanoscopy techniques have been developed, leading to a series of breakthroughs in physics, chemistry, and life sciences. In the work, we give a retrospect of the newly developed techniques in diffraction theory of linear optical systems, including the solid immersion lens, structured light illumination microscopy, scanning near-field optical microscopy, metamaterial-based wide field near-field imaging technique and super-oscillatory lens. Brief discussion on their principles, advantages and applications is also provided.