Aberration-free 3D imaging via DMD-based two-photon microscopy and sensorless adaptive optics

Area of Science:

• Biophotonics
• Microscopy
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Aberrations limit resolution and depth in biological imaging.
• Conventional adaptive optics (AO) systems can be complex and slow.
• Digital micromirror devices (DMDs) offer fast, reconfigurable optical control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel aberration-free 3D imaging technique combining DMDs and sensorless AO.
• To demonstrate simultaneous wavefront correction and 3D scanning using a single DMD.
• To improve resolution and image quality in two-photon microscopy for deep tissue applications.

Main Methods:

• A digital micromirror device (DMD) was used for both modal wavefront correction and 3D random-access scanning.
• Sensorless adaptive optics (AO) was employed to retrieve the corrected wavefront through a diffuser.
• The DMD system performed 3D scanning on a Drosophila brain labeled with green fluorescent protein.

Main Results:

• The DMD-based system achieved aberration-free 3D imaging at 22.7 kHz.
• Optimal wavefront correction was applied to distinct regions, enhancing resolution and image quality.
• The technique demonstrated effective deep tissue imaging capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The developed DMD-based imaging solution is compact, low-cost, and effective.
• This technique enables aberration-free two-photon deep tissue imaging.
• Potential applications exist in biophotonics and advanced microscopy.