New approach to double-helix point spread function design for 3D super-resolution microscopy

摘要

Double-helix point spread functions (DH-PSFs) have been used to extend localization and super-resolution microscopy to three dimensions. Current DH-PSF design provides a long depth-of-field for 3D imaging. However, it is not optimal for imaging under high background conditions. We present a method to design unconventional DH-PSFs with control on characteristics such as efficiency, transverse spread, and Fisher information. This allows tailoring the PSFs for specific applications. In particular, we introduce a design suitable for 3D localization-based super-resolution imaging under typical background conditions and demonstrate imaging with resolution one order of magnitude beyond the diffraction limit over a depth-of-field of 1.2 μm.