Optimization-based wavefront sensorless adaptive optics for multiphoton microscopy

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Biomedical Imaging
• Microscopy

Background:

• Optical aberrations degrade image quality in multiphoton microscopy.
• Adaptive optics (AO) systems can correct these aberrations.
• Wavefront sensorless AO offers a simpler implementation by avoiding direct wavefront measurement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a model-based wavefront sensorless adaptive optics system for aberration correction.
• To improve image quality in a second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscope.
• To demonstrate aberration correction using a deformable mirror (DM) and an image quality metric.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a model-based aberration correction algorithm in an SHG microscope.
• Utilized a deformable mirror (DM) as the wavefront shaping device.
• Modeled the image quality metric using a quadratic polynomial derived from experimental data.
• Removed tip, tilt, and defocus aberrations from DM control basis functions.
• Maximized the image quality metric using least-squares estimation for aberration correction.

Main Results:

• Successfully corrected optical aberrations in the SHG microscope.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of model-based wavefront sensorless AO.
• Achieved improved image quality through aberration correction.
• Validated the use of a quadratic polynomial model for the image quality metric.

Conclusions:

• Model-based wavefront sensorless adaptive optics is an effective method for aberration correction in multiphoton microscopy.
• This technique can be implemented with minimal hardware additions (DM).
• The developed algorithm enhances image quality and resolution in SHG microscopy.