Three-dimensional positioning and imaging through scattering media based on the double-helix point spread function

Double-helix point spread function (DH-PSF), which can convert the axial position of an object into double-spot rotation, is widely used in single-molecule localization microscopy due to its excellent axial localization ability. However, the current single-molecule localization microscopy techniques based on the DH-PSF are mostly applied in non-scattering or weak scattering environments, and are only applicable to sparse objects. In this paper, we study the three-dimensional positioning and imaging through scattering media based on the DH-PSF. The image of the object can be reconstructed from the recorded speckle pattern via speckle autocorrelation and phase retrieval techniques, and the three-dimensional coordinate information of the object can be obtained by the rotation angle and the center of the double spots modulated by the DH-PSF. The positioning accuracy in axial direction for non-sparse objects in simulation is better than 10 mu.m, which is greatly improved compared with our previous work (Journal of Optics, 2021, 23(2):025602 (5pp)). This method has many potential applications in acquiring dynamical information of the micro-object motion.

Automated summary

This paper proposes a method for three-dimensional positioning and imaging through scattering media based on the double-helix point spread function (DH-PSF). The image of the object can be reconstructed and the three-dimensional coordinate information can be obtained by analyzing the recorded speckle pattern. This method has great potential in acquiring dynamical information of micro-object motion.