Mechanical Scan-Free Confocal Microscope by a Broadband Source and Two Balanced Wavelength-to-Space Transformations

• Main Authors: Hsien-Yi Wang, Bor-Shyh Lin, Chien-Ya Lou, Ming-Che Chan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 2015-01-01
• Series: IEEE Photonics Journal
• Subjects: Confocal Microscope; Broadband Source; Diffractive Optics; Wavelength Encoded
• Online Access: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7018898/
• ISSN: 1943-0655

A new approach for performing confocal microscopy without no mechanical scanners was reported by a broadband light source, two similar 2-D wavelength-dispersive optical elements, and an uncooled charge-coupled device (CCD). In the new approach, 2-D sample structures were simultaneously and instantly mapped into the CCD by performing two balanced wavelength-to-space transformations and one space-to-wavelength transformation. Compared with a traditional mechanical-scanner-based confocal microscope, no mechanical scanners or additional post data-processing were required in this new approach. The sectioned images are directly shown in the CCD. The demonstrated balanced wavelength-encoded confocal microscope has a simple configuration and shows great potential for high imaging speed. It has the advantage of miniaturized packaging and other applications outside of the laboratory as well.