Rigorous theory for estimating the LC-PolScope optical impulse function

Develop a rigorous optical theory that enables straightforward estimation of the lateral optical impulse function for semi-coherent polarized light microscopy (LC-PolScope), to support principled deconvolution and quantitative interpretation of measured spatial correlation functions.

Background

To correct LC-PolScope measurements for diffraction-induced artifacts, the analysis requires the lateral optical impulse function (OIF). Because a rigorous theory for semi-coherent polarization microscopy is lacking, the authors estimated the OIF experimentally using sub-diffraction microtubule bundles and then fitted a Gaussian model.

A theoretical framework for the LC-PolScope OIF would remove the need for ad hoc experimental calibration and improve the reliability and generality of deconvolution and correlation analysis in polarized light microscopy of spindles.