US 12,111,456 B2
Methods and apparatus for optimised interferometric scattering microscopy
Matthias Karl Franz Langhorst, Oxford (GB); Daniel Richard Cole, Oxford (GB); David John Lehar Graham, Oxford (GB); Philipp Kukura, Oxford (GB); and Lee Priest, Oxford (GB)
Assigned to Refeyn Ltd, Oxford (GB); and Oxford University Innovation Limited, Oxford (GB)
Appl. No. 17/767,274
Filed by REFEYN LTD, Oxford (GB); and Oxford University Innovation Limited, Oxford (GB)
PCT Filed Oct. 9, 2020, PCT No. PCT/GB2020/052522
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 7, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/069921, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 15, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1914669 (GB), filed on Oct. 10, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0365329 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 21/36 (2006.01); G02B 21/14 (2006.01); G02B 21/18 (2006.01); H04N 23/72 (2023.01)
CPC G02B 21/14 (2013.01) [G02B 21/18 (2013.01); G02B 21/361 (2013.01); H04N 23/72 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of imaging a sample by interferometric scattering microscopy, the method comprising:
illuminating a sample with at least one coherent light source, the sample being held at a sample location comprising an interface having a refractive index change, illuminating the sample with illuminating radiation to generate a backpropagating signal from the sample comprising light reflected at the interface and light scattered by the sample;
splitting the backpropagating signal into first and second signals;
modifying the second signal using a modifying element such that the second signal differs from the first signal;
directing the first and second signals onto first and second detectors to generate, respectively, first and second images; and
comparing, by a processor, the first and second images to determine one or more characteristics of the sample.