Calibration-free imaging through a multicore fiber using speckle scanning microscopy.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Biomedical Imaging
• Materials Science

Background:

• Multicore endoscopes produce pixelated images with resolution limited by core spacing.
• Traditional methods using lenses improve resolution but reduce the field of view.
• Wavefront shaping offers lensless endoscopy but requires calibration and stable fiber conformation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a lensless endoscopy technique that eliminates the need for calibration.
• To achieve fluorescence imaging resolution beyond the core-to-core spacing in multicore fibers.
• To overcome limitations of existing multicore fiber imaging methods.

Main Methods:

• Utilized multicore fibers for imaging.
• Employed wavefront shaping techniques.
• Leveraged the inherent memory effect of the fibers, avoiding a calibration step.

Main Results:

• Successfully obtained fluorescence images with resolution surpassing the core-to-core spacing.
• Demonstrated effective imaging without requiring a prior calibration procedure.
• Showcased the capability to image despite core-to-core coupling.

Conclusions:

• Lensless endoscopy in multicore fibers is achievable without calibration by exploiting the memory effect.
• This technique offers a promising advancement for high-resolution endoscopic imaging.
• The findings pave the way for simpler and more effective endoscopic imaging systems.