Divided-aperture differential confocal fast-imaging microscopy

A new method, laser divided-aperture differential confocal microscopy (DDCM), is proposed to achieve high-resolution 3D imaging of microstructures of large-scale sample surfaces. This method uses a divided-aperture confocal structure to significantly improve the axial resolution of confocal microscopy and keep a long working distance simultaneously; uses two radically offset point detectors to achieve differential detection to further improve the axial response sensitivity and realize fast imaging of a large-scale sample surface with a big axial scan-step interval. Theoretical analyses and experimental results show that the DDCM can reach an axial resolution of 5 nm with a 3.1 mm working distance with a 3 times imaging speed of a confocal system with the same resolution.