Howard Hughes Medical Institute

California Institute of Technology

Northeastern University

Meng Cui

Changhuei Yang

Charles A DiMarzio

Ying Min Wang

Lingjie Kong

A system for a laser-scanning microscope includes an optical element configured to transmit light in a first direction onto a first beam path and to reflect light in a second direction to a second beam path that is different from the first beam path; a reflector on the first beam path; and a lens including a variable focal length, the lens positioned on the first beam path. The lens and reflector are positioned relative to each other to cause light transmitted by the optical element to pass through the lens a plurality of times and in a different direction each time. In some implementations, the system also can include a feedback system that receives a signal that represents an amount of focusing of the lens, and changes the focal length of the lens based on the received signal.

Volume imaging

Wavefront distortions of an optical beam are measured. The transverse optical modes of the optical beam are partitioned into a plurality of subsets of transverse optical modes, one of the subsets of transverse optical modes is selected as the current subset, and the optical beam is modulated based on the current subset by maintaining the transverse optical modes of the optical beam that are outside the current subset stable, and modulating the transverse optical modes of the optical beam within the current subset. A non-linear optical signal is generated from the modulated optical beam by directing the modulated optical beam through a non-linear optical system that includes a random scattering medium, the power of the generated non-linear optical signal is measured, and, based on the measured power, values of the spatial phase for the optical beam at transverse optical modes are extracted within the current subset.

Wavefront compensation for deep tissue optical microscopy

A 4-Pi microscope for imaging a sample, comprising a first objective for focusing a first light beam on the sample at a spatial point one or more Digital Optical Phase Conjugation (DOPC) devices, wherein the DOPC devices include a sensor for detecting the first light beam that has been transmitted through the sample and inputted on the sensor; and a spatial light modulator (SLM) for outputting, in response to the first light beam detected by the sensor, a second light beam that is an optical phase conjugate of the first light beam; and a second objective positioned to transmit the first light beam to the sensor and focus the second light beam on the sample at the spatial point, so that the first light beam and the second light beam are counter-propagating and both focused to the spatial point.

Optical phase conjugation 4Pi microscope

An apparatus includes a spatial light modulator configured to receive an optical pulse train; and output a modulated optical pulse train; a non-linear optical system that receives the modulated optical pulse train and generates a non-linear optical signal; and a power detector that detects a power of the generated non-linear optical signal. A control system outputs a signal to the spatial light modulator to cause it to modulate the optical pulse train by modulating the spectral phase of the optical pulse at wavelengths within a current wavelength range subset and maintain the spectral phase of the optical pulse constant at wavelengths outside the current wavelength range subset; and based on the detected power, extracts values of the spectral phase for the optical pulse at wavelengths within the current wavelength range subset, the values extracted being those that compress the optical pulses.

Method and apparatus for compressing ultrashort optical pulses

A detector of light transmitted through a turbid medium, comprising: one or more Digital Optical Phase Conjugation (DOPC) devices, wherein the DOPC devices include (1) a sensor for detecting input light that has been transmitted through the turbid medium and inputted on the sensor; and (2) a spatial light modulator (SLM) for outputting, in response to the input light detected by the sensor, output light that is an optical phase conjugate of the input light.

Turbidity suppression by optical phase conjugation using a spatial light modulator

An apparatus includes a transverse scanning optical system in the path of a first light beam traveling along a first optic axis; a wavefront correction system in the path of a second light beam traveling along a second optic axis, the wavefront correction system including a wavefront correction device having a spatial phase profile on its surface; a beam combiner that receives the first light beam and the second light beam and outputs an interference beam having a beat frequency equal to a difference frequency between the first light beam and second light beam; and a detection system placed relative to a random scattering medium, which is in the path of the interference beam. The detection system detects measurement light produced by the random scattering medium while the interference beam strikes the random scattering medium.

Wavefront correction of light beam

A light microscope for imaging a sample containing one or more fluorescent agents, comprising a source for generating acoustic waves that are focused at a focus in the sample, wherein the acoustic waves frequency shift a frequency of light passing through the focus, thereby creating a frequency shifted light beam; at least one spatial light modulator (SLM) positioned to illuminate the sample with an output beam that is an optical phase conjugate of the frequency shifted light beam, wherein the output beam is a reflection of a first reference beam off one or more pixels of the SLM, and the pixels are for modulating the first reference beam to create the output beam; and a detector positioned to detect fluorescence generated by the output beam exciting the fluorescent agents at the focus in the sample, thereby imaging the sample.

Growing community of inventors

Ashburn, VA, United States of America

Meng Cui