The General Hospital Corporation

Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation

The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Inc.

Other

General Electric Company

Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Boston University

New Dimension Research Instrument, Inc.

Boston Micromachines Corporation

Schepens Eye Research Foundation

Robert H Webb

Carl M Penney

Stephen A Burns

R Rox Anderson

Guillermo J Tearney

Brett Eugene Bouma

Andreas Wilhelm Dreher

Charles P Lin

Keith P Thompson

Victor Lazarev

Milind Rajadhyaksha

Ann E Elsner

Zhijiang Hang

Jerome Johnson Tiemann

Michael Sussman

Harry R McKinley

Lee E Goldstein

Richard Rox Anderson

Alexander Sergienko

Constantinos Pitris

Douglas P Wornson

Gilbert T Feke

David Simon

Millen Shishkov

Anna M Yaroslavsky

George T Timberlake

Francois C Delori

Fran J Rogomentich

Francois Delori

George W Hughes

Clara E Dimas

A correlation confocal microscope uses correlated photon pairs to improve resolution. It employs a source of a light beam converging to a point location on a sample, and an objective that gathers light from the point location and generates an image beam. A modulator applies a spatial pattern of modulation to the source light beam to define spatially correlated photons whose spatial correlations are preserved in modulated light gathered from the sample. A filter applies a modulation-selective filter function to the image light beam to generate a filtered light beam of like-modulated photons. A coincidence detector detects temporally coincident photon pairs in the filtered light beam, generating a pulse output that indicates the magnitude of a light-detectable property (such as transmissivity or reflectivity) of the sample at the point location. The modulator may apply phase modulation and the filter may be a phase-sensitive component such as an interferometer.

Correlation confocal microscope

A device for wide-field and high resolution imaging of an object surface includes first and second imaging modalities, a lens associated with the second imaging modality. The first imaging modality is high resolution with a first observation line. The second imaging modality is arranged in an image plane at a first angle with respect to an object plane and has a second observation line and a wider imaging field than the first imaging modality. The lens associated with the second imaging modality is arranged in a lens plane at a second angle with respect to the object plane, where the second angle being equal to about one-half of the first angle. The first and second imaging modalities are mutually arranged such that the first and second optical axes intersect at a point on the object plane.

Device and method for wide-field and high resolution imaging of tissue

A confocal microscope system that is inherently fiberoptic compatible is described which has line scanning aided image formation. An incoherent fiberoptic bundle maps a line illumination pattern into a dispersible group of separate sources, and then remaps this confocally selected remitted light to the original line. Fibers, not confocal with the illumination, carry light to be rejected from the image back on itself upon double passing, while separate fibers carry light from non-confocal sample planes. The transformation allows efficient rejection of unwanted photons at a slit aperture. The fiber bundle and an objective lens provide a flexible probe for imaging internal tissue for pathological examination on a cellular level.

Fiber-coupled multiplexed confocal microscope

A system and method modifying wavefront shape is provided. Generally, the system contains a wavefront shape modifying device for modifying the shape of the wavefront. The system also contains a series of optical devices for returning the modified wavefront to the wavefront modifying device with an orientation that enables further modification of the modified wavefront by the wavefront modifying device. The method contains the steps of: reflecting a wavefront from a surface of a wavefront shape modifying device, resulting in the wavefront having a modified shape; and reflecting the wavefront having a modified shape from the surface of the wavefront shape modifying device a second time resulting in a final wavefront having a shape that has been modified twice.

Systems and methods for modifying wavefronts by amplifying stroke

A scanning confocal microscopy system and apparatus, especially useful for endoscopy with a flexible probe which is connected to the end of an optical fiber ( ). The probe has a grating ( ) and a lens ( ) which delivers a beam of multi-spectral light having spectral components which extend in one dimension across a region of an object and which is moved to scan in another dimension. The reflected confocal spectrum is measured to provide an image of the region.

Confocal microscopy with multi-spectral encoding and system and apparatus for spectroscopically encoded confocal microscopy

An apparatus and a method are disclosed for separating light remitted by a target into a directly scattered light component and at least one multiply scattered light component, detecting the components at least substantially simultaneously, and forming independent sets of image information from each component. The apparatus and the method can be employed in conjunction with techniques such as scanning and tomography to attain precise imaging of biological tissue, including the retina of the eye.

Imaging apparatus and methods for near simultaneous observation of directly scattered light and multiply scattered light

The invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining a characteristic of an optical element. The apparatus includes a spatial light pattern generator adapted to generate a beam of light at a predetermined spatial position, at least one lenslet disposed in an array of lenslets adapted to receive the beam of light from the spatial light pattern generator, and to direct the beam of light to the optical element. The apparatus further includes a detector positioned to receive the beam of light subsequent to the beam of light encountering the optical element. The detector is adapted to detect a received spatial position at which the detector receives the beam of light. The apparatus also includes a processor adapted to compare the predetermined spatial position with the received spatial position to determine the characteristic of the optical element. The invention further relates to methods and apparatus for generating a diffraction limited image. The apparatus includes a spatial light pattern generator adapted to generate a plurality of beams of light at selected spatial positions to compensate for a characteristic of an optical element and an array of lenslets adapted to receive the plurality of beams of light from the spatial light pattern generator and to direct the plurality of beams of light to the optical element. The apparatus also includes an image plane positioned to receive the plurality of beams of light subsequent to the plurality of beams of light encountering the optical element and adapted to form the diffraction limited image.

Methods and apparatus for measurement and correction of optical aberration

Optical confocal device having a common light directing means

A scanning confocal microscopy system, especially useful for endoscopy with a flexible probe which is connected to the end of an optical fiber( ). The probe has a grating( ) and a lens( ) which delivers a beam of multi-spectral light having spectral components which extend in one dimension across a region of an object and which is moved to scan in another dimension. The reflected confocal spectrum is measured to provide an image of the region.

Confocal microscopy with multi-spectral encoding

An apparatus for separating an image of a target into a directly scattered component and a multiply scattered component by providing a stationary field stop having a first region and associated detector confocal to a point on the target. During a first interval, a light source directs a first beam to the target and the directly scattered component is selected by the first region. During a second interval, the light source directs a second beam to the target and the multiply scattered component us selected by the first region and its associated detector. Alternatively, a light source directs a first beam to the target and the directly scattered component is selected by the first region of the field stop and its associated detector, while the second region and its associated detector select for multiply scattered light.

Apparatus for near simultaneous observation of directly scattered image field and multiply scattered image field

A confocal scanning imaging device for viewing an object, includes illumination means including an array of independently addressable microlasers, detection means including an array of detectors for detecting light from an object to which light from the illumination means has been directed. The array of microlasers and the array of detectors are combined into a single array, such as on a single chip, and in a pattern constructed and arranged so that different detectors are adjacent each microlaser so that light from an illuminated object may be directed back to the vicinity of the illuminating microlaser and be detected by the adjacent detector(s). There is optical means for directing light generated by the microlasers onto an object and for directing light from an object so illuminated onto detectors adjacent the illuminating microlaser. The optical means includes a bilens and a matching lens system including two objective lenses. The system is constructed so that the relationships are as follows:

A confocal scanning microscope has an illuminating aperture and a detecting aperture whose optical axes intersect at an angle. Multiplication of a predominantly transverse section of the point spread function of one aperture with the predominantly axial section of the point spread function of the other aperture results in improved axial resolution to the extent that the transverse section is narrower than the axial section.

Confocal scanning microscope with angled objective lenses for improved

A refractometer provides a reference path coaxial with a measurement path and thereby simplifies construction by reducing the number of parts and simplifies maintenance by halving the number of optical axes to be aligned. The refractometer includes a reference projector for projecting a reference pattern on a reference pattern position on a detector during a reference interval, a site-selector for selecting a measurement site on an optical system, and a measurement projector for projecting a measurement pattern through this selected measurement site and onto a measurement pattern position on the detector during a measurement interval. The reference projector, the site selector, and the measurement projector are all aligned along the same optical axis. In the case in which the optical system is a human eye, the designated site in typically a site on the cornea and the detector is the retina of the eye. The refractometer provides an aligner for aligning the reference pattern position with a measurement pattern position. The amount by which these two positions are moved in order to achieve alignment provides a measure of the optimal wavefront corresponding to the measurement site.

Coaxial spatially resolved refractometer

A scanning ophthalmoscope scans an object plane in the interior of the eye by employing a first spatial light modulator to generate a time-varying first modulation pattern. A second spatial light modulator receives the illumination field generated by the interaction of the first modulation pattern with the interior of the eye. The second spatial light modulator generates a second modulation pattern corresponding to the first modulation pattern and transmits this second modulation pattern to an image detector, thereby forming an image of the object plane in the interior of the eye. The first and second spatial light modulators are linked by a function or mapping such that a modulation pattern generated by the first spatial light modulator maps to a particular modulation pattern generated by the second spatial light modulator.

Scanning ophthalmoscope with spatial light modulators

Growing community of inventors

Lincoln, MA, United States of America

Robert H Webb