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Published on: November 16, 2019
High-throughput super-resolution imaging chip based on miniaturized full-frequency encoded-illumination
Xiaoyu Yang1,2,3, Haonan Zhang1, Yuqi Zhang1
1State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Communications Engineering
|July 21, 2026
Summary
A new miniaturized super-resolution imaging chip overcomes limitations in resolution and field of view. This cost-effective technology enables high-throughput imaging for biology, materials science, and medicine.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Microscopy
- Biomedical Imaging
Background:
- Super-resolution microscopy is vital but faces trade-offs between resolution, field of view (FOV), label-free imaging, and cost.
- Existing technologies struggle to optimize all these parameters simultaneously, creating a bottleneck in research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a miniaturized, cost-effective super-resolution imaging chip overcoming current technological limitations.
- To enable high-throughput super-resolution imaging with optimized resolution, large FOV, and label-free compatibility.
Main Methods:
- Introduced a miniaturized full-frequency encoded illumination (mini-FEI) chip utilizing the spatial frequency shift (SFS) effect.
- Implemented a tunable continuous SFS method with multi-illumination modes modulated by an encoded LED array for both far-field and near-field illumination.
- Utilized prisms for light delivery to the sample, achieving high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) super-resolution images.
Main Results:
- Achieved a resolution of 333 nm (~λ/4NA) with a large FOV of approximately 1 mm².
- Successfully validated on label-free samples including USAF Target, Star Target, onion root tip cells, and live COS7 cells.
- Demonstrated compatibility with commercial microscopes and potential for widespread deployment.
Conclusions:
- The mini-FEI chip offers a simple, cost-effective solution for super-resolution imaging, avoiding expensive laser systems.
- This technology significantly miniaturizes the system and enhances throughput.
- Holds great potential for broad application in scientific and industrial research.
