LAUSR

Optical scanning microscopy techniques based on the polarization control of the light have the capability of providing non invasive label-free contrast. By comparing the polarization states of the excitation light with its transformation after interaction with the sample, the full optical properties can be summarized in a single 4 × 4 Mueller matrix. The main challenge of such a technique is to encode and decode the polarized light in an optimal way pixel-by-pixel and take into account the polarimetric artifacts from the optical devices composing the instrument in a rigorous calibration step. In this review, we describe the different approaches for implementing such a technique into an optical scanning microscope, that requires a high speed rate polarization control. Thus, we explore the recent advances in term of technology from the industrial to the medical applications.