We present a general imaging technique called graded-field microscopy for obtaining phase-gradient contrast in biological tissue slices. The technique is based on introducing partial beam blocks in the illumination and detection apertures of a standard white-light widefield transillumination microscope. Depending on the relative aperture sizes, one block produces phase-gradient contrast while the other reduces brightfield background, allowing a full operating range between brightfield and darkfield contrast. We demonstrate graded-field imaging of neurons in a rat brain slice.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

1. F. Zernike, "Das Phasenkontrastverfahren bei der mikroskopischen Beobachtung [in German],"Z. Tech. Phys. 16,454 (1935).
2. F. Zernike, "How I discovered phase contrast,"Science 121,345-349 (1955). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. G. Nomarski, "Microinterf´erom`etre diff´erentiel `a ondes polaris´ees [in French]," J. Phys. Radium 16,S9 (1955).
4. R. D. Allen, G. B. David, G. Nomarski, "The Zeiss-Nomarski differential interference equipment for transmittedlight microscopy," Z. Wiss. Mikrosk. 69,193-221 (1969). [PubMed]
5. B. Kachar, "Asymmetric illumination contrast: a method of image formation for video microscopy,"Science 227,766-768 (1985). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. W. B. Piekos, "Diffracted-light contrast enhancement: A re-examination of oblique illumination," Micros. Res. Tech. 46,334-337 (1999). [CrossRef]
7. S. Inoue, Video Microscopy (Plenum Press, New York, 1986).
8. H. U. Dodt, M. Eder, A. Frick, W. Zieglg¨ansberger, "Precisely localized LTD in the neocortex revealed by infrared-guided laser stimulation", Science 286,111-113 (1999). [CrossRef]
9. C. F. Saylor, "Accuracy of microscopical methods for determining refractive index by immersion,"J. Res. US Natl. Bur. Stds. 15,277 (1935).
10. E. H. Linfoot, Recent advances in optics (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1955).
11. J. Ojeda-Castaneda, L. R. Berriel-Valdos, "Classification scheme and properties of schlieren techniques," Appl. Opt. 16,18, 3338-3341 (1979). [CrossRef]
12. J. G. Dodd, "Interferometry with Schlieren microscopy," Appl. Opt. 16,16, 470-472 (1977). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. D. Axelrod, "Zero-cost modification of bright field microscopes for imaging phase gradient on cells: Schlieren optics,"Cell Biophys. 3,167-173 (1981). [PubMed]
14. S. Lowenthal, Y. Belvaux, "Observation of phase objects by optically processed Hilbert transform,"Appl. Phys. Lett. 11, 49-51 (1967). [CrossRef]
15. R. Hoffman and L. Gross, "Modulation contrast microscopy," Appl. Opt. 14,1169-1176 (1975). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of optics (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1999).

Appl. Opt.

• J. Ojeda-Castaneda, L. R. Berriel-Valdos, "Classification scheme and properties of schlieren techniques," Appl. Opt. 16,18, 3338-3341 (1979). [CrossRef]
• J. G. Dodd, "Interferometry with Schlieren microscopy," Appl. Opt. 16,16, 470-472 (1977). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• R. Hoffman and L. Gross, "Modulation contrast microscopy," Appl. Opt. 14,1169-1176 (1975). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• S. Lowenthal, Y. Belvaux, "Observation of phase objects by optically processed Hilbert transform,"Appl. Phys. Lett. 11, 49-51 (1967). [CrossRef]

Cell Biophys.

• D. Axelrod, "Zero-cost modification of bright field microscopes for imaging phase gradient on cells: Schlieren optics,"Cell Biophys. 3,167-173 (1981). [PubMed]

J. Phys. Radium

• G. Nomarski, "Microinterf´erom`etre diff´erentiel `a ondes polaris´ees [in French]," J. Phys. Radium 16,S9 (1955).

J. Res. US Natl. Bur. Stds.

• C. F. Saylor, "Accuracy of microscopical methods for determining refractive index by immersion,"J. Res. US Natl. Bur. Stds. 15,277 (1935).

Micros. Res. Tech.

• W. B. Piekos, "Diffracted-light contrast enhancement: A re-examination of oblique illumination," Micros. Res. Tech. 46,334-337 (1999). [CrossRef]

Science

• B. Kachar, "Asymmetric illumination contrast: a method of image formation for video microscopy,"Science 227,766-768 (1985). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• H. U. Dodt, M. Eder, A. Frick, W. Zieglg¨ansberger, "Precisely localized LTD in the neocortex revealed by infrared-guided laser stimulation", Science 286,111-113 (1999). [CrossRef]
• F. Zernike, "How I discovered phase contrast,"Science 121,345-349 (1955). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Z. Tech. Phys.

• F. Zernike, "Das Phasenkontrastverfahren bei der mikroskopischen Beobachtung [in German],"Z. Tech. Phys. 16,454 (1935).

Z. Wiss. Mikrosk.

• R. D. Allen, G. B. David, G. Nomarski, "The Zeiss-Nomarski differential interference equipment for transmittedlight microscopy," Z. Wiss. Mikrosk. 69,193-221 (1969). [PubMed]

Other

• S. Inoue, Video Microscopy (Plenum Press, New York, 1986).
• E. H. Linfoot, Recent advances in optics (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1955).
• M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of optics (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1999).

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Related Journal Articles

• Method to calculate lateral and axial gain factors of optical setups with a large solid angle (JOSAA)
• Transmission electron microscopy of weakly scattering objects described by operator algebra (JOSAA)
• Vector near-field calculation of scanning near-field optical microscopy probes using Borgnis potentials as auxiliary functions (JOSAA)
• Measuring large numerical apertures by imaging the angular distribution of radiation of fluorescing molecules (OE)
• Single-exposure complementary aperture phase microscopy with polarization encoding (OL)

Related Conference Papers

• Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Imaging with Photonic Crytal Fiber Delivered Laser Source
• Biomedical and Biophysical Applications of Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Microscopy
• Two-Photon Excitation Fluorescence Imaging by Using Wavelength Division Scanning
• Simultaneous Visualization of Spatial and Chromatic Aberrations by 2D Spectral Interferometry
• Graded-Field White-Light Microscopy