A computer-aided polarization microscope

The paper reports a new modulation technique for obtaining polarization-constrast images of transparent microscopic objects. A standard microscope with a 40X objective, an He-Ne laser, and an Elektronika-60 computer were used in the experiments reported. The use of advanced instrumentation made it possible to enhance the magnification of the microscope and to improve the SNR (which was about 10 in the experiments reported). Particular attention is also given to the achievement of super-Rayleigh lateral resolution in the microscope for the study of anisotropic objects.