Image stacks simulated for conventional (a, b), interference (offset-reduced) (c, d) and confocal (e, f) microscopy assuming either 260 nm (a, c, e) or 300 nm (b, d, f) period length of the grating. TM polarized light with λ = 505 nm is used. The microcylinder extends from x = −2.5 μm to x = 2.5 μm. The areas of interest for interference and confocal microscopy are marked in green.