Through-focus or volumetric type of optical imaging methods: a review

Abstract

In recent years, the use of through-focus (TF) or volumetric type of optical imaging has gained momentum in several areas such as biological imaging, microscopy, adaptive optics, material processing, optical data storage, and optical inspection. We provide a review of basic TF optical methods highlighting their design, major unique characteristics, and application space.

Keywords: axial scanning; extended-depth-of-field imaging; optical imaging; optical microscope; out-of-focus imaging; through-focus imaging; through-focus scanning optical microscopy; volumetric imaging.