Single-shot isotropic differential interference contrast microscopy.

Differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy allows high-contrast, low-phototoxicity, and label-free imaging of transparent biological objects, and has been applied in the field of cellular morphology, cell segmentation, particle tracking, optical measurement and others. Commercial DIC microscopy based on Nomarski or Wollaston prism resorts to the interference of two polarized waves with a lateral differential offset (shear) and axial phase shift (bias). However, the shear generated by these prisms is limited to the rectilinear direction, unfortunately resulting in anisotropic contrast imaging.

Optical Fireworks Based on Multifocal Three-Dimensional Color Prints.

Colorful three-dimensional (3D) prints are promising as practical anticounterfeiting labels with easily recognizable and striking visual effects. However, existing colorful 3D displays either require specific illumination conditions with multiple coherent lasers, hence suffer from speckles, or are unsuitable as passive labels. Here, we report a concept of a virtual 3D color object consisting of colorful focal spots in free space.

Rewritable color nanoprints in antimony trisulfide films.

Materials that exhibit large and rapid switching of their optical properties in the visible spectrum hold the key to color-changing devices. Antimony trisulfide (SbS) is a chalcogenide material that exhibits large refractive index changes of ~1 between crystalline and amorphous states. However, little is known about its ability to endure multiple switching cycles, its capacity for recording high-resolution patterns, nor the optical properties of the crystallized state.

Plasma-assisted filling electron beam lithography for high throughput patterning of large area closed polygon nanostructures.

Electron-beam lithography is widely applied in nanofabrication due to its high resolution. However, it suffers from low throughput due to its patterning process. All the pixels within a pattern's boundary are needed to be scanned for patterning, which is inefficient for a large area closed polygon structure.