Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and system for generating a light field in a specified working region using an at least partly coherent light source. For example, light from the light source can be fed to at least one modulator which causes different changes in at least one property of the light in different components of the light. The modulator can be actuated with a null point actuation pattern such that the sum of the amplitude distributions of the light components guided via the modulator has null points at at least two positions which can be specified independently of each other in the working region. Each null point adjoining a respective region in which the sum of the amplitude distributions can differs from null. The light can be guided from the modulator into the working region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and system for generating a light field in a specified working region using an at least partly coherent light source. For example, light from the light source can be fed to at least one modulator which causes different changes in at least one property of the light in different components of the light. The modulator can be actuated with a null point actuation pattern such that the sum of the amplitude distributions of the light components guided via the modulator has null points at at least two positions which can be specified independently of each other in the working region. Each null point adjoining a respective region in which the sum of the amplitude distributions can differs from null. The light can be guided from the modulator into the working region.

Abstract: A method for non-invasive observations of a fundus using an ophthalmoscope is provided. The method includes illuminating a retinal region of an eye by projecting an illumination pattern of illumination light onto the retinal region, at least one of detecting a portion of fluorescent light emitted from the retinal region and detecting a portion of illumination light reflected from the retinal region, thereby capturing a series of images of the retinal region at a plurality of different relative positions of the retinal region with respect to the illumination pattern projected onto the retinal region, wherein between the capturing of at least two images of the series the relative position of the retinal region with respect to the illumination pattern projected onto the retinal region is shifted in a non-controlled manner, and processing the captured images to extract a sub-resolution image of the retinal region.

Abstract: A method for non-invasive observations of a fundus using an ophthalmoscope is provided. The method includes illuminating a retinal region of an eye by projecting an illumination pattern of illumination light onto the retinal region, at least one of detecting a portion of fluorescent light emitted from the retinal region and detecting a portion of illumination light reflected from the retinal region, thereby capturing a series of images of the retinal region at a plurality of different relative positions of the retinal region with respect to the illumination pattern projected onto the retinal region, wherein between the capturing of at least two images of the series the relative position of the retinal region with respect to the illumination pattern projected onto the retinal region is shifted in a non-controlled manner, and processing the captured images to extract a sub-resolution image of the retinal region.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a sub-resolution image of a specimen using a microscope is provided. The method includes projecting an illumination pattern of illumination light onto the specimen, thereby illuminating the specimen, at least one of detecting at least a portion of fluorescent light emitted from the specimen and detecting at least a portion of illumination light reflected from the specimen, thereby capturing a series of images of the specimen at a plurality of different relative positions of the specimen with respect to the illumination pattern projected onto the specimen, wherein between the capturing of at least two images of the series the relative position of the specimen with respect to the illumination pattern projected onto the specimen is shifted in a non-controlled manner, and processing the captured images to extract a sub-resolution image of the specimen.

Abstract: A method of obtaining, in a single exposure, imaging information from an object (16) representative of more than two distinct illumination images, the method comprising the steps of generating first electromagnetic waves (14) at least some of which having spatially modulated polarisation; illuminating the object with the first electromagnetic waves; and capturing second electromagnetic waves (18) emanating from the object.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention allow the operation of confocal microscopes with relatively open pinholes (e.g. 1 Airy unit) whilst still giving a significant XY resolution improvement. In addition axial (Z) discrimination or resolution may also be improved. This is achieved by splitting the emitted light path in an interferometric fashion. One of the split beams is then directed inversion which inverts at least one coordinate in image space. The transformed beam and the non-transformed beam are then recombined in an interferometric fashion (i.e. coherently added), which provides an interference effect resulting in increased resolution of the image. Where the embodiments are being used in a confocal application, the resulting combined beam can then be subject to a spatially discriminating means, such as a pinhole, or the like.

Abstract: Disclosed are an array and a method for the spectrally resolving detection of a sample (22) that is illuminated by means of an illuminating radiation (12) by detecting a sample radiation (24) emitted by the sample (22). Said array comprises an illuminating beam path via which illuminating radiation (12) can be delivered to the sample (22) from a lighting source (10, 10?), and an observation beam path via which sample radiation (24) can be delivered to a detector (40) an observation radiation.

Abstract: A process for obtaining an object image of at least one object (40) is described, wherein at least two partial images of the object (40) are taken under differing object conditions which are formed on the object with spatial patterns, wherein a non-linear dependence of the light detectable from the object point on the object conditions given at the object point exists and the partial images contain different contributions of various space frequency components of the object structure, and the desired object image is determined from the partial images by reconstruction of the space frequency components. Optical systems for implementing this type of process are also described.