Quantitative Phase Imaging is the method of choice to observe unlabelled biological cells, enabling the exploration of their intricate structures and dynamics. Differential Phase Contrast (DPC) is a fast and flexible approach but is limited to brightfield measurements, which limits the achievable resolution. In this study, we revisit DPC as a perturbative approach for high-resolution phase imaging with a minimal number of images. Our methodology combines both a perturbative phase retrieval algorithm and ring-shaped darkfield illumination patterns. The proposed approach leverages the advantages of DPC, such as its minimal image requirement, while addressing its inability to extend to darkfield imaging. By reducing the number of acquired images, our technique offers a rapid solution for examining dynamic systems.
|