Abstract

A new class of axially apodizing continuously transmitting filters is analytically determined and numerically implemented. The longitudinal and lateral properties of the associated point-spread function are displayed both for a single filtered lens and for a combination with a laterally superresolving mask in a confocal configuration. Interesting imaging properties relative to the increase in axial contrast and transverse resolving power for dephasing ring-free pupil filters of moderate losses in luminosity are predicted.

© 2002 Optical Society of America

Axial apodization in 4Pi-confocal microscopy by annular binary filters

Manuel Martı́nez-Corral, Amparo Pons, and Marı́a-Teresa Caballero
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 19(8) 1532-1536 (2002)

Transverse or axial superresolution in a 4Pi-confocal microscope by phase-only filters

Daniel M. de Juana, José E. Oti, Vidal F. Canales, and Manuel P. Cagigal
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 20(11) 2172-2178 (2003)

Transverse or axial superresolution with radial birefringent filter

Maojin Yun, Liren Liu, Jianfeng Sun, and De’an Liu
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 21(10) 1869-1874 (2004)

Tailoring the axial shape of the point spread function using the Toraldo concept

M. Martínez-Corral, M. T. Caballero, E. H. K. Stelzer, and J. Swoger
Opt. Express 10(1) 98-103 (2002)

Asymmetric apodization in confocal scanning systems

Marek Kowalczyk, Carlos Javier Zapata-Rodríguez, and Manuel Martínez-Corral
Appl. Opt. 37(35) 8206-8214 (1998)