Patent ID: 8212215

Claim:
A method for generating an image of a surface feature of an object, the method comprising: depositing a layer of material over the object, wherein the layer defines an upper surface, and wherein the material has an index of refraction that is greater than an index of refraction of a surrounding medium that surrounds the object and the layer; directing illumination in an imaging wavelength range towards the upper surface at a first angle relative to a normal of the upper surface: wherein the first angle is greater than an acceptance angle of an objective of an imaging device; wherein the material is substantially transparent over the imaging wavelength; wherein a first portion of the illumination is reflected at the upper surface and is not incident on the objective; wherein a second portion of the illumination is refracted through the upper surface towards the surface feature, is incident on the surface feature and is reflected by the surface feature back towards the upper surface over a range of angles; wherein at least an portion of the range of angles is within an acceptance angle of the objective; wherein the second portion of the illumination is refracted at the upper surface such that an attenuated component of the second portion is refracted outside of the acceptance angle of the objective and a filtered component of the second portion is incident on the objective.