Microscope system for Blu-ray disc samples.

We introduce a microscope system using a solid immersion lens (SIL) to image Blu-ray disc samples without removing the protective cover layer. The aberration caused by the cover layer is minimized with a truncated SIL. A subsurface imaging simulation is achieved by using the rigorous coupled wave theory, partial coherence, vector diffraction, and the Babinet principle. Simulated results are compared with experimental images and atomic force microscopy measurements.