Fig. 1. Sketch of the optical path of Zernike phase-contrast microscope

Fig. 2. Optical path of the proposed green light SLM. (a) Schematic of light path; (b) real optical path

Fig. 3. Spectrum of green light and the corresponding coherent degree curve. (a) Spectrum of green light; (b) coherent degree curve

Fig. 4. Phase distribution of a standard 6 μm oil immersed PS microsphere

Fig. 5. Bright field microscopic images of PS microsphere. (a) Water immersed microsphere; (b) oil immersed microsphere

Fig. 6. Grating used for the SLM alignment, the objective back pupil image after alignment, and the ring light source used in the phase contrast imaging. (a) Grating; (b) back pupil image; (c) ring light source

Fig. 7. Four ring gratings used in the SLIM imaging and the corresponding SLIM images of microspheres. (a) Gratings; (b) corresponding microsphere SLIM images

Fig. 8. Four section curves corresponding to the four microspheres showed in Fig. 7. (a) I1 with phase modulation angle of 0(0°); (b) I2 with phase modulation angle of π/2(90°); (c) I3 with phase modulation angle of π(180°); (d) I4 with phase modulation angle of 3π/2(270°)

Fig. 9. Relationship between correction function and phase difference from -10π to 10π

Fig. 10. Reconstructed images of the oil immersed microsphere. (a) 2D contour of the wrapped phase of the oil immersed microsphere; (b) 3D contour of the unwrapped phase of the oil immersed microsphere

Fig. 11. Comparing the x direction OPD distribution of the oil immersed microsphere (solid line) with that of the standard situation (dashed line). (a) Processed with applying median filter; (b) processed with applying median filter and coherent degree correction

Fig. 12. Red cell image captured in the SLIM experiment

Fig. 13. Red cell image after phase reconstruction. (a) 2D contour of wrapped phase of the red cell; (b) 3D contour of unwrapped phase distribution of the red cell