Polarization-multiplexing metafiber for dual-mode bright-field and dark-field microscopy.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Biomedical Imaging
• Materials Science

Background:

• Bright-field and dark-field microscopy are essential complementary techniques for biological specimen analysis.
• Current methods for switching between these microscopy modes are complex, time-consuming, and require optical component replacement.
• This limits the practicality and portability of dual-mode microscopy systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel polarization-multiplexing metafiber device for integrated dual-mode microscopy.
• To demonstrate a compact and flexible solution for switching between bright-field and dark-field imaging.
• To overcome the limitations of conventional dual-mode microscopy systems.

Main Methods:

• Designed and fabricated a polarization-multiplexing metalens integrated onto a photonic crystal fiber tip.
• Utilized polarization control of incident light to generate distinct Gaussian and OAM beams.
• Experimentally validated the dual-mode microscopy capability using biological samples like raspberry trichomes and pine stems.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated dual-mode bright-field and dark-field microscopy with the metafiber device.
• Achieved mode switching solely by altering the polarization of incident light, without component replacement.
• Confirmed the device's effectiveness on diverse biological specimens.

Conclusions:

• The proposed metafiber device offers a compact, flexible, and efficient solution for dual-mode microscopy.
• This technology eliminates the need for optical component swapping, simplifying operation.
• Presents significant potential for advanced portable and in vivo biological imaging applications.