Epi-illumination Fourier ptychographic imaging for thick samples

1. An epi-illumination Fourier ptychographic imaging system for high resolution imaging of thick samples, the system comprising:

a variable illumination source configured to provide plane wave illumination sequentially at each one of a plurality of incidence angles;

a first polarizer system having a first polarizing filter configured to polarize the plane wave illumination from the variable illumination source to a first polarization state incident upon a sample being imaged during operation;

collection optics configured to receive radiation issuing from the sample being imaged, wherein the collection optics are located to the same side of the sample from which the variable illumination source provides the plane wave illumination;

a second polarizer system configured to receive radiation passed through the collection optics, the second polarizer system having a second polarizing filter in a first orientation and a third polarizing filter in a second orientation orthogonal to the first orientation;

a radiation detector configured to receive radiation from the second polarizer system, the radiation detector configured to acquire a first sequence of intensity images of the sample based at least in part on radiation from the first polarizer system and a second sequence of intensity images of the sample based at least in part on radiation from the second polarizer system, wherein each intensity image of each of the first and second sequences of intensity images corresponds to a different incidence angle of the plurality of incidence angles; and

a processor configured to determine a sequence of de-scattered surface intensity images from the first sequence of intensity images and the second sequence of intensity images.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the sequence of de-scattered surface intensity images by determining the difference between each intensity image in the first sequence and each corresponding intensity image of the second sequence.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to construct a higher resolution image of the sample by iteratively combining the sequence of de-scattered surface intensity images in Fourier space, the higher resolution image having higher resolution than resolution of the first and second sequences of intensity images.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processor constructs the higher resolution image of the sample using a Fourier ptychographic reconstruction process.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first polarizer system comprises a polarizer film disposed over the variable illumination source.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the radiation issuing from the sample is diffracted radiation.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plane wave illumination from the variable illumination source is one of visible light, infrared light, microwave radiation, acoustic radiation, and x-ray radiation.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second polarizing filter while in the first orientation is configured to pass radiation in the first polarization state and the third polarizing filter while in the second orientation is configured to pass radiation in a second polarization state.

9. The system of claim 8 ,

wherein the first polarizer system comprises a plurality of first polarizer elements, and

wherein the second polarizer system comprises a pattern of interleaved first polarizer elements and a plurality of second polarizer elements.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second polarizer system comprises a polarizer film disposed over the radiation detector.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the pattern is a checkboard pattern.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor constructs the higher resolution image of the sample using a Fourier ptychographic reconstruction process that includes multiplying an initial high resolution image by a pupil function in the Fourier domain.

13. An epi-illumination Fourier ptychographic imaging system for high resolution imaging of thick samples, the system comprising:

a variable illumination source configured to provide plane wave illumination sequentially at each one of a plurality of incidence angles;

a first polarizer system having a first polarizing filter configured to polarize radiation received from the variable illumination source to a first polarization state incident upon a sample;

collection optics configured to receive radiation issuing from the sample, wherein the collection optics are located to the same side of the sample from which the variable illumination source provides the plane wave illumination;

a second polarizer system configured to receive radiation passed through the collection optics, the second polarizer system having a second polarizing filter configured to rotate between a first orientation and a second orientation orthogonal to the first orientation;

a radiation detector configured to receive radiation from the second polarizer system, the radiation detector configured to acquire a first sequence of intensity images of the sample while the second polarizing filter is in the first orientation and a second sequence of intensity images of the sample while the second polarizing filter is in the second orientation, wherein each intensity image of each of the first and second sequences of intensity images corresponds to a different incidence angle of the plurality of incidence angles; and

a processor configured to determine a sequence of de-scattered surface intensity images from the first sequence of intensity images and the second sequence of intensity images.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the sequence of de-scattered surface intensity images by determining the difference between each intensity image in the first sequence and each corresponding intensity image of the second sequence.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to construct a higher resolution image of the sample by iteratively combining the sequence of de-scattered surface intensity images in Fourier space.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor constructs the higher resolution image of the sample using a Fourier ptychographic reconstruction process.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first polarizer system comprises a polarizer film disposed over the variable illumination source.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the radiation issuing from the sample is diffracted radiation.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plane wave illumination from the variable illumination source is one of visible light, infrared light, microwave radiation, acoustic radiation, and x-ray radiation.