Chapter 15
Super-Resolution Imaging
and Microscopy by Dielectric
Particle-Lenses
Zengbo Wang and Boris Luk’yanchuk
Abstract Imaging by microspheres and dielectric particle-lenses emerged recently
as a simple solution to obtaining super-resolution images of nanoscale devices and
structures. Calibrated resolution of ~λ/6–λ/8 has been demonstrated, making it possible to directly visualize 15–50 nm scale objects under a white light illumination. The
technique has undergone rapid developments in recent years. Major advances such as
the development of surface scanning functionalities, higher resolution metamaterial
superlens, biological superlens and integrated bio-chips as well as new applications
in interferometry, endoscopy and others, have been reported. This chapter aims to
provide an overall review of the technique including its background, fundamentals
and key progresses. The outlook of the technique is finally discussed.
15.1 Introduction
15.1.1 Background
The history of optical microscope dates at least to 1595, when Hans and Zaccharis
Janssen (1580–1638) of Holland invented a compound optical microscope. Subsequent improvements by Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), Robert hook (1635–1703) and
Anthony Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723) has led to the revolution of the entire field of
science and technology, especially when biological specimens such as bacteria and
blood cells become visible to human eyes.
Z. Wang (B)
School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 1UT,
UK
e-mail: z.wang@bangor.ac.uk
B. Luk’yanchuk
Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences,
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
V. Astratov (ed.), Label-Free Super-Resolution Microscopy,
Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21722-8_15
371
Super-Resolution Imaging
and Microscopy by Dielectric
Particle-Lenses
Zengbo Wang and Boris Luk’yanchuk
Abstract Imaging by microspheres and dielectric particle-lenses emerged recently
as a simple solution to obtaining super-resolution images of nanoscale devices and
structures. Calibrated resolution of ~λ/6–λ/8 has been demonstrated, making it possible to directly visualize 15–50 nm scale objects under a white light illumination. The
technique has undergone rapid developments in recent years. Major advances such as
the development of surface scanning functionalities, higher resolution metamaterial
superlens, biological superlens and integrated bio-chips as well as new applications
in interferometry, endoscopy and others, have been reported. This chapter aims to
provide an overall review of the technique including its background, fundamentals
and key progresses. The outlook of the technique is finally discussed.
15.1 Introduction
15.1.1 Background
The history of optical microscope dates at least to 1595, when Hans and Zaccharis
Janssen (1580–1638) of Holland invented a compound optical microscope. Subsequent improvements by Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), Robert hook (1635–1703) and
Anthony Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723) has led to the revolution of the entire field of
science and technology, especially when biological specimens such as bacteria and
blood cells become visible to human eyes.
Z. Wang (B)
School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 1UT,
UK
e-mail: z.wang@bangor.ac.uk
B. Luk’yanchuk
Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences,
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
V. Astratov (ed.), Label-Free Super-Resolution Microscopy,
Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21722-8_15
371