Improvements in confocal microscopy imaging using serrated divided apertures

Confocal microscopy with serrated divided apertures is presented. Compared with using two smooth D-shaped apertures in confocal microscopy, the serrated divided apertures can suppress the out-of-focus central bright spot, thus increasing the efficiency of rejection of scattered light. Diffraction analysis shows that the serrated apertures maintain the optical sectioning strength while attenuating the background coming from far from the focal plane. In addition, the signal to background ratio (S/B) is also improved.