Singular Optics

This book presents experimental investigations and digital image processing, highlighting the interaction of polarized radiation with phase-inhomogeneous and optically anisotropic biological layers. The promising and efficient use of vector-parametric description of the formation of polarization-inhomogeneous object fields is noted. Applications of a set of Mueller-matrix polarimetry methods are highlighted. The book includes- structural and logical scheme of multi-parameter (singular, interference and layer-by-layer Stokes-polarimetric), polarization-correlation study of the structure of distributions of the number of singularities, maps of local contrast of interference distributions and layer-by-layer maps of microscopic polarization azimuth and ellipticity; determination of relationships between changes in the magnitude of statistical parameters characterizing polarization-correlation distributions and pathology of prostate tumors.

This book presents a comprehensive and coherent summary of techniques for enhancing the resolution and image contrast provided by far-field optical microscopes. It takes a critical look at the body of knowledge that comprises optical microscopy, compares and contrasts the various instruments, provides a clear discussion of the physical principles that underpin these techniques, and describes advances in science and medicine for which superresolution microscopes are required and are making major contributions.