Generalised phase contrast: microscopy, manipulation and more

Generalised phase contrast (GPC) not only leads to more accurate phase imaging beyond thin biological samples, but serves as an enabling framework in developing tools over a wide spectrum of contemporary applications in optics and photonics, including optical trapping and micromanipulation, optical phase cryptography, light-efficient image projection and parallel laser beam shaping for optical landscapes. In this review, we discuss the fundamental ideas behind generalised phase contrast and present a survey of its exciting applications.