Abstract: Optical configurations for confocal structured illumination Raman (C-SIM Raman) microscopy systems are provided. One example includes a light source configured to project a light; a first set of optical components fixedly aligned along a first optical path, wherein the first set of optical components includes a vortex phase plate and a quarter wave plate, wherein the first set of optical components is configured to receive the light; and a second set of optical components configured to be adjusted between a first operating position and a second operating position. When in the first operating position, the second set of optical component is aligned on the first optical path and is configured to expand, in conjunction with the first set of optical components, the light into an expanded light. When in the second operating position, the second set of optical components is not aligned on the first optical path.

Abstract: Optical configurations for confocal structured illumination Raman (C-SIM Raman) microscopy systems are provided. One example includes a light source configured to project a light; a first set of optical components fixedly aligned along a first optical path, wherein the first set of optical components includes a vortex phase plate and a quarter wave plate, wherein the first set of optical components is configured to receive the light; and a second set of optical components configured to be adjusted between a first operating position and a second operating position. When in the first operating position, the second set of optical component is aligned on the first optical path and is configured to expand, in conjunction with the first set of optical components, the light into an expanded light. When in the second operating position, the second set of optical components is not aligned on the first optical path.

Abstract: Computer-implemented image processing methods with a computer processor and computer memory, comprise accessing, from the computer memory, a non-toroidal beam image component comprising a set of pixel intensities across an imaging area and a toroidal beam image component comprising a set of pixel intensities across the imaging area, scaling, with the computer processor, an image intensity of at least one pixel of one of the non-toroidal or toroidal beam image components by a ratio between a peak non-toroidal beam imaging pixel intensity across the imaging area and a peak toroidal beam imaging intensity across the imaging area to produce a scaled image intensity, and determining a difference between the scaled image intensity of the at least one pixel of the non-toroidal or toroidal image components and an image intensity of at least one pixel of the other of the non-toroidal or toroidal image components to form at least a portion of an image.