Interference microscopy using broadband sources such as LEDs presents different sets of advantages and disadvantages, compared to holographic systems using lasers. Quantitative phase microscopy and multi-wavelength optical phase unwrapping are demonstrated, and compared with holographic phase microscopy.

Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) is a wide-field technique that rivals confocal microscopy in optical sectioning ability at a small fraction of the acquisition time. By using a color grid, we achieve optical sectioning with just a single image acquisition.

Microscopic image formation by a raster-scanning laser beam focused on a sample, and using a non-imaging detector is considered. The resulting images are analogous to the scanning electron microscopy with visible effects of shadowing and reflection.