The Phenomenon of Focal Shift Induced by Interface Reflection Loss in Microsphere-Assisted Imaging

Microsphere-assisted super-resolution imaging technology, due to its ability to break through the diffraction limit, has become a powerful tool for achieving optical observations at the micro-nano scale. However, there remains a significant discrepancy between the simulation results of microsphere focusing behavior and experimental observations in existing studies, necessitating a more precise physical explanation. This study proposes that the interface reflection characteristics are a key factor influencing the focusing behavior of microspheres. We constructed a numerical simulation model based on ray optics theory using MATLAB, explicitly considering the reflection and transmission of light at the microsphere-medium boundary, and systematically analyzed the imaging process and focal position of the microsphere. Experimental results demonstrate that after accounting for energy loss due to reflection, the focal position obtained from the simulation calculations shows a high degree of consistency with the experimental results. The average deviation of our model from experimental results is reduced by 76% compared to conventional paraxial theory and by 86% compared to Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations. Additionally, the findings validate the reliability of determining microsphere focusing theory using irradiance.