A method of imaging a sample having birefringent crystals (or other materials) using a lens-free polarized microscopy device includes illuminating the sample contained on a sample holder with circularly polarized partially coherent or coherent light and capturing lower resolution holographic images of the birefringent crystals with an image sensor. A polarization analyzer unit made from a /4 retarder and a linear polarizer is positioned between the sample holder and the image sensor. The lower resolution holographic images are obtained with the polarization analyzer unit in two different orientations (e.g. 90 orientations). Phase-retrieved, higher resolution images of the birefringent crystals at the different orientations are obtained using the lower resolution holographic images. A differential image is generated from the respective phase-retrieved, higher resolution images. An object support mask is applied to identify the birefringent crystals which can then be pseudo-colored.

A generation method of a digital hologram includes steps of emitting coherent light from a coherent light source, imaging a hologram that is an interference pattern of an object beam and a reference beam due to the emission light from the light source, and setting a plurality of wavelengths of the illumination light that generates the hologram detected by the detector, and wherein the plurality of wavelength are specified by the wavelength setting step based on a magnification percentage X of a conjugate image set up by a user not to disturb visibility of an image when a real image and the conjugate image reconstructed by a predetermined calculation means relative to structures of observation targets are superimposed to a corresponding real image so that a shortest wavelength .sub.min and a longest wavelength .sub.max satisfy the expression .sub.max/.sub.min(1/X+1).

A device and a method for observing an object by imaging, or by lensless imaging. The object is retained by a holder defining an object plane inserted between a light source and an image sensor, with no enlargement optics being placed between the object and the image sensor. An optical system is arranged between the light source and the holder and is configured to form a convergent incident wave from a light wave emitted by the light source, and for forming a secondary light source, conjugated with the light source, positioned in a half-space defined by the object plane and including the image sensor, such that the secondary source is closer to the image sensor than to the holder. This results in an image with a transversal enlargement factor having an absolute value of less than 1.

Embodiments described herein relate to an imaging device, a method for imaging an object, and a photonic integrated circuit. The imaging device includes at least one photonic integrated circuit. The photonic integrated circuit includes an integrated waveguide for guiding a light signal. The photonic integrated circuit also includes a light coupler optically coupled to the integrated waveguide. The light coupler is adapted for directing the light signal out of a plane of the integrated waveguide as a light beam. The imaging device also includes a microfluidic channel for containing an object immersed in a fluid medium. The microfluidic channel is configured to enable, in operation of the imaging device, illumination of the object by the light beam. In addition, the imaging device includes at least one imaging detector positioned for imaging the object illuminated by the light beam.

The disclosure features systems and methods for measuring and diagnosing target constituents bound to labeling particles in a sample. The systems include a radiation source, a sample holder, a detector configured to obtain one or more diffraction patterns of the sample each including information corresponding to optical properties of sample constituents, and an electronic processor configured to, for each of the one or more diffraction patterns: (a) analyze the diffraction pattern to obtain amplitude information and phase information corresponding to the sample constituents; (b) identify one or more particle-bound target sample constituents based on at least one of the amplitude information and the phase information; and (c) determine an amount of at least one of the particle-bound target sample constituents in the sample based on at least one of the amplitude information and the phase information.

A method of analyzing a sample receiving a particle of interest, including: defining a reference point located on a first interface of the sample, or at a known distance from the sample, along the optical axis of the optical system; acquiring a reference image transmission of the sample, the object plane of the optical system being located at a known distance from the reference point along an axis parallel to the optical axis of the optical system, and the particle of interest being located outside of the object plane; using the reference image, digitally constructing a series of reconstructed images, each associated with a predetermined offset of the object plane along the optical axis of the optical system; and using the series of reconstructed images, determining the distance along an axis parallel to the optical axis of the optical system, between the particle of interest and the reference point.

The invention relates to a method for observing a sample (15), comprising the illumination of the sample using a light source (11) and the acquisition of an image (Io) of the sample using an image sensor (16), the sample being disposed between the image sensor and the light source. Iterative steps are applied to the acquired image (Io), also referred to as a hologram, comprising: a single iterative numerical propagation (h), such as to estimate a complex image (A) of the sample in a reconstruction plane (P10) or in a detection plane (P0), in which the image sensor extends. The complex image can be used for the characterisation of the sample.

A method for holographic characterization of a particle contained in a sample, based on an image, or hologram, of the sample obtained by an image sensor when the sample is illuminated by a light source. The hologram is the subject of a holographic reconstruction, to obtain a reference complex image, representative of the light wave transmitted by the sample in a reconstruction plane. A holographic propagation operator is applied to the reference complex image, to obtain a plurality of secondary complex images, from which a profile is determined describing the change in an optical feature of the light wave transmuted by the sample along the axis of propagation of the light wave.

A system is provided for observing objects on a substrate which includes a light source that emits polarized light rectilinearly along a first direction, a holder that receives said substrate having a surface and includes objects, wherein at least one of the holder or the substrate are translucent or opaque, a detector that collects the backscattered light from the interaction between the light emitting by the light source and the objects, a polarization splitter and a quarter-wave plate wherein the polarization splitter and the quarter-wave plate are arranged so that the polarization splitter directs light towards the substrate through the quarter-wave plate, and wherein the light forms a beam and the system modifies the size of the beam. The system thus allows one to observe objects on a non-transparent substrate.

A device for acquisition of particles present in a sample includes a spatially coherent light source, an optical system, and an image sensor placed in the focal plane of the optical system. The image sensor is configured to capture an intensity image. A computational unit of the device is configured to construct a series of electromagnetic propagation matrices obtained for a plurality of defocusing offsets relative to a plane of focus of the optics. The computational unit is also configured to determine a first average focused electromagnetic matrix for the particles from the series of electromagnetic matrices, identifying at least one of the particles in the first electromagnetic matrix and storing the coordinates of said particle, and determining a second electromagnetic matrix at a distance of focus on a particle identified from the components of the series of electromagnetic matrices having the stored coordinates.