The present disclosure provides a visualization system for performing optimized optical coherence tomography (OCT) by determining the absolute distance between the OCT source and a sample. The present disclosure also provides a method for optimizing OCT, which includes determining an absolute distance between the OCT source and a sample using data relating to the focal length or position of an autofocus imager lens.

The present disclosure provides a visualization system for performing optimized optical coherence tomography (OCT) by determining the absolute distance between the OCT source and a sample. The present disclosure also provides a method for optimizing OCT, which includes determining an absolute distance between the OCT source and a sample using data relating to the focal length or position of an autofocus imager lens.

Systems, methods and other embodiments associated with spatial-domain Low-coherence Quantitative Phase Microscopy (SL-QPM) are described herein. SL-QPM can detect structural alterations within cell nuclei with nanoscale sensitivity (0.9 nm) (or nuclear nano-morphology) for nano-pathological diagnosis of cancer. SL-QPM uses original, unmodified cytology and histology specimens prepared with standard clinical protocols and stains. SL-QPM can easily integrate in existing clinical pathology laboratories. Results quantified the spatial distribution of optical path length or refractive index in individual nuclei with nanoscale sensitivity, which could be applied to studying nuclear nano-morphology as cancer progresses. The nuclear nano-morphology derived from SL-QPM offers significant diagnostic value in clinical care and subcellular mechanistic insights for basic and translational research. Techniques that provide for depth selective investigation of nuclear and other cellular features are disclosed.

The present disclosure provides a visualization system for performing optimized optical coherence tomography (OCT) by determining the absolute distance between the OCT source and a sample. The present disclosure also provides a method for optimizing OCT, which includes determining an absolute distance between the OCT source and a sample using data relating to the focal length or position of an autofocus imager lens.

A quantitative phase image generating method for a microscope, includes: irradiating an object with illumination light; disposing a focal point of an objective lens at each of a plurality of positions that are mutually separated by gaps z along an optical axis of the objective lens, and detecting light from the object; generating sets of light intensity distribution data corresponding to each of the plurality of positions based upon the detected light; and generating a quantitative phase image based upon the light intensity distribution data; wherein the gap z is set based upon setting information of the microscope.

Conformal imaging vibrometer using adaptive optics with scene-based wave front sensing. An extended object is located at the first end of a link, and a reference-free, adaptive optical, conformal imaging vibrometer using scene-based wave front sensing is located at the second end of the link. An aberrated, free space or guided-wave path exists between the ends of the link. The adaptive optical system compensates for path distortions. Using a single interrogation beam, whole-body vibrations of opaque and reflective objects can be probed, as well as transparent and translucent objects, the latter pair employing a Zernike heterodyne interferometer.