The imaging of dielectric point scatterers in conventional and confocal polarisation microscopes

We consider the image of a dielectric sub-resolution scatterer in conventional and confocal microscopes. We employ a vector theory and obtain theoretical images in a number of polarisation microscopes. In general the use of linear polarisation leads to asymmetric polarisation images whereas circularly symmetric polarisation images result if circular polarisation is used. Experimental results are presented to support the theoretical predictions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.