Abstract
Exploring the performance of label-free imaging relies heavily on adequate physical
models and accurate numerical simulations. A particularly challenging
situation is imaging through contact microspheres, which have
demonstrated resolution values exceeding the diffraction limit. Here
an ab initio modeling of
microsphere-assisted imaging is reported and its results are analyzed.
The key part of modeling is solving the light scattering problem,
which requires handling a rather large computational domain and broad
angle illumination made up of multiple mutually incoherent plane
waves. To account for plane wave incidence, two simulation approaches
are developed that differ only by boundary conditions–quasiperiodic
and absorbing. The algorithms to find images in both approaches are
discussed and the simulation results are compared for free space and
microsphere-assisted imaging. It is shown that while the
super-resolution in microsphere-assisted imaging can be demonstrated
using both approaches, the latter allows a large reduction in the
computational resources. This significantly extends the capability of
the simulations, enabling a rigorous exploration of novel imaging
regimes.
Funder
Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation