© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
We propose confocal laser feedback microscopy for in-depth imaging of highly scattering samples. This technique provides a compact configuration for microscopy in reflectance mode; it is based on laser feedback interferometry which is a sensing technique where the laser acts as both transmitter and receiver of the beam. Operating at 850 nm, it offers an ideal platform for non-invasive and in vivo imaging of soft biological tissues. To explore the technique, the authors performed microscopic imaging of micro-glass-spheres (with diameter sizes of 10–20 µm) deep within an agar gel sample, at depth of 0.43 mm from the surface. Experimental results show the feasibility of a compact, low-cost, and simple laser-scanning microscope with possible biomedical imaging applications.
References
-
-
1)
-
3. Mowla, A., Taimre, T., Lim, Y.L., et al: ‘Concurrent reflectance confocal microscopy and laser Doppler flowmetry to improve skin cancer imaging: a Monte Carlo model and experimental validation’, Sensors, 2016, 16, p. 1411 (doi: 10.3390/s16091411).
-
2)
-
14. Hugon, O., Paun, I., Ricard, C., et al: ‘Cell imaging by coherent backscattering microscopy using frequency-shifted optical feedback in a microchip laser’, Ultramicroscopy, 2008, 108, pp. 523–528 (doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2007.08.009).
-
3)
-
10. Herbert, J., Bertling, K., Taimre, T., et al: ‘Surface roughness characterisation using optical feedback interferometry’, Electron. Lett., 2017, 53, pp. 268–270 (doi: 10.1049/el.2016.4134).
-
4)
-
6. Mowla, A., Du, B.W., Taimre, T., et al: ‘Confocal laser feedback tomography for skin cancer detection’, Biomed. Opt. Express, 2017, 8, pp. 4037–4048 (doi: 10.1364/BOE.8.004037).
-
5)
-
17. Tan, Y., Wang, W., Xu, C., et al: ‘Laser confocal feedback tomography and nano-step height measurement’, Sci. Rep., 2013, 3, pp. 1–7.
-
6)
-
5. Donati, S., Norgia, M.: ‘Self-mixing interferometry for biomedical signals sensing’, J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron., 2014, 20, pp. 104–111 (doi: 10.1109/JSTQE.2013.2270279).
-
7)
-
15. Hugon, O., Joud, F., Lacot, E., et al: ‘Coherent microscopy by laser optical feedback imaging (LOFI) technique’, Ultramicroscopy, 2011, 111, pp. 1557–1563 (doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2011.08.004).
-
8)
-
1. White, J., Amos, W., Fordham, M.: ‘An evaluation of confocal versus conventional imaging of biological structures by fluorescence light microscopy’, J. Cell Biol., 1987, 105, pp. 41–48 (doi: 10.1083/jcb.105.1.41).
-
9)
-
12. Wang, M., Lai, G.: ‘Self-mixing microscopic interferometer for the measurement of microprofile’, Opt. Commun., 2004, 238, pp. 237–244 (doi: 10.1016/j.optcom.2004.04.052).
-
10)
-
11. Bearden, A., O'Neill, M.P., Osborne, L.C., et al: ‘Imaging and vibrational analysis with laser-feedback interferometry’, Opt. Lett., 1993, 18, pp. 238–240 (doi: 10.1364/OL.18.000238).
-
11)
-
6. Taimre, T., Nikolić, M., Bertling, K., Lim, Y.L., Bosch, T., Rakić, A.: ‘Laser feedback interferometry: a tutorial on the self-mixing effect for coherent sensing’, Adv. Opt. Photonics, 2015, 7, pp. 570–631 (doi: 10.1364/AOP.7.000570).
-
12)
-
2. Juškaitis, R., Rea, N., Wilson, T.: ‘Semiconductor laser confocal microscopy’, Appl. Opt., 1994, 33, pp. 578–584 (doi: 10.1364/AO.33.000578).
-
13)
-
9. Lacot, E., Jacquin, O., Roussely, G., et al: ‘Comparative study of autodyne and heterodyne laser interferometry for imaging’, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, 2010, 27, pp. 2450–2458 (doi: 10.1364/JOSAA.27.002450).
-
14)
-
16. Lacot, E., Day, R., Stoeckel, F.: ‘Laser optical feedback tomography’, Opt. Lett., 1999, 24, pp. 744–746 (doi: 10.1364/OL.24.000744).
-
15)
-
18. Bertling, K., Taimre, T., Agnew, G., et al: ‘Simple electrical modulation scheme for laser feedback imaging’, Sens. J., 2016, 16, pp. 1937–1942 (doi: 10.1109/JSEN.2015.2507184).
-
16)
-
13. Cemine, V.J., Buenaobra, B., Blanca, C.M., et al: ‘High-contrast microscopy of semiconductor and metal sites in integrated circuits by detection of optical feedback’, Opt. Lett., 2004, 29, pp. 2479–2481 (doi: 10.1364/OL.29.002479).
-
17)
-
8. Giuliani, G., Norgia, M., Donati, S., et al: ‘Laser diode self-mixing technique for sensing applications’, J. Opt. A, Pure Appl. Opt., 2002, 4, (6), pp. 283–294 (doi: 10.1088/1464-4258/4/6/371).
-
18)
-
4. Perchoux, J., Quotb, A., Atashkhooei, R., et al: ‘Current developments on optical feedback interferometry as an all-optical sensor for biomedical applications’, Sensors, 2016, 16, p. 694 (doi: 10.3390/s16050694).
http://iet.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1049/el.2017.4333
Related content
content/journals/10.1049/el.2017.4333
pub_keyword,iet_inspecKeyword,pub_concept
6
6