Single-shot spatial light interference microscopy by demultiplexing based on polarization gratings

Off-axis interferometric modules built on an ordinary bright field microscope make it possible to achieve single-shot quantitative phase imaging (QPI) by adding sufficient spatial carrier into the interferograms. However, compared with its on-axis counterparts, imaging configurations for off-axis interferometric modules have several disadvantages regarding optical aberration, stability, and space-bandwidth utilization of the lenses system. Herein, by demultiplexing technology based on polarization gratings, we propose a single-shot spatial light interference microscopy named as polarization-multiplexing light interference microscopy (PLIM) with on-axis imaging configuration to realize single-shot QPI. Although the imaging system is on-axis, the PLIM system still can generate sufficient spatial carrier, so we can adjust the orientation and absolute value of the spatial carrier independently of the magnification ratio of the imaging system. The experimental results prove that the PLIM system has better temporal phase stability compared with conventional grating-based QPI technologies and is suitable for high resolution QPI.