Phase-Sensitive Optical Coherence Microscopy (OCM) - Biomedical Optical Phase Microscopy and Nanoscopy - page 265

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Figure 13.7
Nerve displacement and electrical potential measured using the phase OCM system. Source: Taken
with permission from Ref. [20] . Copyright of Optical Society of America.

0.3 nm, at least three times better compared to the commonly used holographic phase
microscopy system under the same conditions. In single-point interferometric measurements
of live cells, the light is focused on a small area and therefore higher irradiance allows for
ultrafast acquisition times with compact and reasonable-price detectors. Furthermore,
single-point measurements also allow for an easy-to-implement common-path geometry and
a compact and portable fiber optics configuration, and thus can work even without using
floating optical tables, which has a significantly higher potential for clinical applications.

When measuring RBCs with quantitative phase microcopy, a constant RI assumption
can be taken, so that the phase measurement is proportional to the thickness of the RBC.
Using the time-dependent thickness profile of the RBC, cell stiffness properties can be
calculated.