Control and measurement of spatially inhomogeneous polarization distributions in third-harmonic generation microscopy

Opt Lett. 2009 Apr 1;34(7):1090-2. doi: 10.1364/ol.34.001090.

Abstract

We demonstrate in situ characterization of a spatially varying polarization state of an optical field at the focus of a scanning third-harmonic generation (THG) optical microscope. Polarization projections are measured by forming THG images of a polystyrene microsphere scanned through the focused beam and combined in a noniterative phase-retrieval algorithm. Controlled spatially varying polarization states are introduced by imaging spatially inhomogeneous polarization distributions constructed with reflective spatial light modulator to the focal plane of a microscope objective.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Equipment Design
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Microscopy / instrumentation*
  • Microscopy / methods
  • Microscopy, Polarization / instrumentation*
  • Microscopy, Polarization / methods
  • Models, Statistical
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Optical Fibers
  • Optics and Photonics
  • Polystyrenes / analysis

Substances

  • Polystyrenes