Abstract:
An apparatus for detecting a material within a sample includes a light emitting unit for directing at least one light beam through the sample. A plurality of units receive the light beam that has passed through the sample and performs a spectroscopic analysis of the sample based on the received light beam. Each of the plurality of units analyze a different parameter with respect to the sample a provide a separate output signal with respect to the analysis. A processor detects the material with respect each of the provided separate output signals.
Abstract:
Methods are provided to identify spatially and spectrally multiplexed probes in a biological environment. Such probes are identified by the ordering and color of fluorophores of the probes. The devices and methods provided facilitate determination of the locations and colors of such fluorophores, such that a probe can be identified. In some embodiments, probes are identified by applying light from a target environment to a spatial light modulator that can be used to control the direction and magnitude of chromatic dispersion of the detected light; multiple images of the target, corresponding to multiple different spatial light modulator settings, can be deconvolved and used to determine the colors and locations of fluorophores. In some embodiments, light from a region of the target can be simultaneously imaged spatially and spectrally. Correlations between the spatial and spectral images over time can be used to determine the color of fluorophores in the target.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for evaluating a fresh tissue sample, prepared as to fluoresce under illumination, during a medical procedure. A structured light source is configured to project a spatially patterned light beam onto the fresh tissue sample. An imaging system is configured to produce an image from fluorescence emitted from the illuminated fresh tissue sample. A system control is configured to provide a human-comprehensible clinically useful output associated with the medical procedure.
Abstract:
In order to examine a sample (30) with the aid of a microscope (20), dye particles (40, 42) in the sample (30) are excited to fluorescence with the aid of a first illumination light beam (24). Fluorescent light emerging from the sample (30) is directed onto an area sensor (36) via an optical arrangement (34), wherein the optical arrangement (34) acts on the fluorescent light in such a way that partial beams of the fluorescent light interfere with themselves, such that interference patterns arising on account of the interference are imaged on a sensitive surface of the area sensor (36) and detected by the latter. Positions of the dye particles (40, 42) within the sample (30) are determined depending on the interference patterns.
Abstract:
An optical system and associated method enable near real time optical phase conjugation. In the method, a translucent medium is illuminated by a sample illumination beam. Light scattered by the medium is directed to an electronic image sensor while a reference beam is also directed to the electronic image sensor. The scattered light and the reference beam form an interference pattern at the electronic image sensor. A digital representation of the interference pattern is recorded using the electronic image sensor, and the characteristics of a conjugate of the sample beam are computed from the numerical representation. A conjugate beam having the computed characteristics is generated using a configurable optical element and directed back to the translucent medium. The generation of the conjugate beam may be accomplished using a spatial light modulator.
Abstract:
A device (1; 10; 20; 30; 40) for optically examining the interior of a turbid medium (5) is provided. The device comprises an illumination system (2; 12; 22; 32; 42) adapted for illuminating a turbid medium (5) to be examined and an imaging device (106) adapted for generating images from detected light. The illumination system (2; 12; 22; 32; 42) is adapted to be operable in at least a first mode in which a wide area image is acquired by illuminating the turbid medium (5) and a surrounding area. From this wide area image, the region or regions of interest (110) at which the turbid medium (5) is actually situated can be determined. Then, these regions of interest (110) can be illuminated in a second mode. Thus, no light which has not been coupled to the turbid medium (5) and which might cause overexposure of the detector unit of the imaging device (106) will reach the imaging device (106).
Abstract:
Method for determining the characteristics of a system for generating at least one pattern of light, the method comprising: a) providing a desired pattern of light, b) expressing the amplitude and the phase of the output pulse of the system as a function of the input laser pulse and in function of the characteristics of the system to obtain a calculated output pulse, the input laser pulse having a duration below or equal to 1 nanosecond, c) determining at least one characteristic of the system by minimizing a distance between the calculated output pulse and the desired output laser pulse.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a fluorescent microscope and a respective method for obtaining super-resolution images of a sample labelled with at least one type fluorescent label by combining localization microscopy and structured illumination microscopy. In an aspect, the fluorescent microscope comprises one or more light sources and an illumination system having a structured illumination path, in which a pattern generation system is positioned, for illuminating the sample with structured illumination light and a localization illumination path for illuminating the sample with localization illumination light. A switching mechanism is configured to switch between a first, a second and/or a third mode, wherein in the first mode at least a portion of the light emitted from the one or more light sources propagates through one of the illumination paths; in the second mode at least a portion of the light emitted from the one or more light sources propagates through the other one of the illumination paths; and in the third mode at least a portion of the light emitted from one or more of the light sources propagates through one illumination path while simultaneously at least another portion of the light emitted from one or more of the light sources propagates through the other illumination path. At least one image detector positioned in an optical detection path, configured to detect at least a portion of fluorescent light emitted from fluorescent molecules of the illuminated sample. Another aspect concerns a method for obtaining super-resolution image data of a sample labeled with at least one type of fluorescent label comprising illuminating the sample with localization illumination light and with structured illumination light; detecting at least a portion of the fluorescent light emitted from the excited fluorescent molecules of the at least one fluorescent label, thereby obtaining at least one image of the illuminated sample; and processing the obtained at least one image of the sample image to obtain super-resolution image data.
Abstract:
A scanning plasmonic microscope apparatus is described comprising a sample holder comprising a dielectric substrate, preferably a transparent dielectric substrate, covered with at least one metallic thin-film comprising plasmon-generating nanostructures adjacently arranged to at least one scanning area, said scanning area comprising a continuous, flat metallic surface for supporting one or more samples, preferably a biological sample; a spatial light modulator in optical alignment with said sample holder, said spatial light modulator comprising pixels for illuminating at least part of said nanostructures with light of a predetermined phase; a storage medium comprising target coordinates associated with target points in said at least one scanning area; and, phase information for controlling said pixels so that surface plasmon waves emitted by pixel-illuminated nanostructures are substantially in phase (focussed) in at least one of said target points in said at least one scanning area; and, an image sensor configured to image photons, which are scattered away from said scanning area when surface plasmons in said target point interact with at least part of said one or more samples; and, a scanner controller for controlling pixels in said spatial light modulator, said pixels illuminating at least part of said nanostructures on the basis of said phase information.
Abstract:
A microscopy imaging system is disclosed that includes a light source system, a spectral shaper, a modulator system, an optics system, an optical detector and a processor. The light source system is for providing a first train of pulses and a second train of pulses. The spectral shaper is for spectrally modifying an optical property of at least some frequency components of the broadband range of frequency components such that the broadband range of frequency components is shaped producing a shaped first train of pulses to specifically probe a spectral feature of interest from a sample, and to reduce information from features that are not of interest from the sample. The modulator system is for modulating a property of at least one of the shaped first train of pulses and the second train of pulses at a modulation frequency. The optical detector is for detecting an integrated intensity of substantially all optical frequency components of a train of pulses of interest transmitted or reflected through the common focal volume. The processor is for detecting a modulation at the modulation frequency of the integrated intensity of substantially all of the optical frequency components of the train of pulses of interest due to the non-lincar interaction of the shaped first train of pulses with the second train of pulses as modulated in the common focal volume, and for providing an output signal for a pixel of an image for the microscopy imaging system.