Ultraviolet-visible acousto-optic tunable spectroscopic imager for medical diagnosis

Thin-film tunable filters for hyperspectral fluorescence microscopy

Hyperspectral imaging is a powerful tool that acquires data from many spectral bands, forming a contiguous spectrum. Hyperspectral imaging was originally developed for remote sensing applications; however, hyperspectral techniques have since been applied to biological fluorescence imaging applications, such as fluorescence microscopy and small animal fluorescence imaging. The spectral filtering method largely determines the sensitivity and specificity of any hyperspectral imaging system. There are several types of spectral filtering hardware available for microscopy systems, most commonly acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs) and liquid crystal tunable filters (LCTFs). These filtering technologies have advantages and disadvantages. Here, we present a novel tunable filter for hyperspectral imaging-the thin-film tunable filter (TFTF). The TFTF presents several advantages over AOTFs and LCTFs, most notably, a high percentage transmission and a high out-of-band optical density (OD). We present a comparison of a TFTF-based hyperspectral microscopy system and a commercially available AOTF-based system. We have characterized the light transmission, wavelength calibration, and OD of both systems, and have then evaluated the capability of each system for discriminating between green fluorescent protein and highly autofluorescent lung tissue. Our results suggest that TFTFs are an alternative approach for hyperspectral filtering that offers improved transmission and out-of-band blocking. These characteristics make TFTFs well suited for other biomedical imaging devices, such as ophthalmoscopes or endoscopes.

Biosensors technologies: acousto-optic tunable filter-based hyperspectral and polarization imagers for fluorescence and spectroscopic imaging

Filters are a critical element in fluorescence detection used by many biosensors. One of the main limitations of the conventional optical filters used in biosensors is that they are limited to a single wavelength operation while numerous wavelengths are used in a typical fluorescence detection used for biosensing. Acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs) have the potential to overcome this limitation and provide both spectral and polarization information because they are wavelength agile and polarization sensitive. Such filters can be used to develop compact hyperspectral/polarization imagers. Such an imager can be readily used for real-time two-dimensional spectral imaging applications. These imagers are small, vibration-insensitive, robust, remotely controlled, and programmable and can be used in the spectral region from the ultraviolet (UV) to the near infrared (NIR). A minimal amount of data processing is required for AOTF imagers because they can acquire images at only select wavelengths of interest, and the selected wavelengths can be changed based on the sensing requirements. We use AOTFs made of KDP, MgF2, and TeO2, with a Si-based CCD camera to cover different spectral regions from the UV to the NIR. A liquid crystal variable retarder (LCVR) is used to obtain two orthogonally polarized images at each wavelength The user can write software to control the operation and image acquisition for an AOTF imager for a fully computer controlled operation.

Development and characterization of two-transducer imaging acousto-optic tunable filters with extended tuning range

We developed two high-quality large-aperture acousto-optic tunable filter cells in TeO2 with more than two octaves spectral coverage for hyperspectral imaging applications from the visible to the midwave infrared: the first cell covers from 0.43 to 2.1 microm and the second from 0.69 to 4.0 microm. The key feature of these cells is a special design of two transducers in tandem with a special bonding technique that results in such a wide spectral coverage with virtually no acoustic and electrical loss due to careful matching of both acoustic and electrical impedances. Each of these cells has high spectral transmission, as well as low power requirement. We discuss the design, characterization, and performance results for these cells.

Investigation of magnesium fluoride crystals for imaging acousto-optic tunable filter applications

Results of an investigation of acousto-optic (AO) cells using single crystals of magnesium fluoride (MgF2) are presented. Two acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) cells for imaging application have been designed and tested in the visible and ultraviolet (UV) regions of the spectrum from 190 to 490 nm. The two imaging filters were developed by using the wide-angle AO interaction geometry in the (010) and (11 0) planes of the crystal. These filters were used to obtain spectral images at the shortest wavelengths achieved so far. Advantages and drawbacks of this crystal are discussed and photoelastic, acoustic, and AO properties of MgF2 are examined. The investigation confirmed that MgF2-based AOTF cells can be used in the deep UV region up to 110 nm.

Acousto-optic-tunable-filter-based spectropolarimetric imagers for medical diagnostic applications--instrument design point of view

Compact optical imagers that can detect both spectral and polarization signatures are required in many biomedical applications. An acousto-optic-tunable-filter (AOTF)-based imager is ideally suited to provide both agile spectral and polarization signatures. Such an imager can be readily used for real-time in vivo medical diagnostic applications. We develop a family of small, robust, and programmable hyperspectral imagers operating from the ultraviolet (UV) to the long-wave IR (LWIR). Such imagers require minimal data processing because they can acquire images at only select wavelengths of interest. We use AOTFs made of KDP, TeO2, and TAS with Si-based CCD, InGaAs, InSb, and HgCdTe cameras to cover different spectral regions from the UV to the LWIR. Operation of each of these imagers and image acquisition is computer controlled. The most developed imager covers the visible to near-infrared (VNIR) region from 400 to 900 nm, with a 10-nm spectral resolution at 600 nm, it uses an electronically tunable TeO2 AOTF as a bandpass filter, and a nematic liquid crystal retarder to change polarization. We describe our concept in the development of these imagers and present new results obtained using the VNIR imager.

Ultraviolet-visible imaging acousto-optic tunable filters in KDP

There is a need to develop large-aperture acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs) in the UV region for applications in astronomy, environmental sciences, biology, etc. We have developed a high-quality noncollinear AOTF cell that uses a single crystal of KDP that has nearly a four times larger acousto-optic figure of merit, M2, than quartz. The linear and angular apertures of this cell are 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm and 1.2 degrees, respectively. The spectral range is 220-480 nm, with 160-cm(-1) spectral resolution and high transmission in the UV. We present an analysis of the design and describe the characterization results.

Hyperspectral imager, from ultraviolet to visible, with a KDP acousto-optic tunable filter

Hyperspectral imaging in the ultraviolet to visible spectral region has applications in astronomy, biology, chemistry, medical sciences, etc. A novel electronically tunable, random-wavelength access, compact, no-moving-parts, vibration-insensitive, computer-controlled hyperspectral imager operating from 220 to 480 nm with a spectral resolution of 160 cm(-1), e.g., 2 nm at 350 nm, has been developed by use of a KDP acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) with an enhanced CCD camera and a pair of crossed calcite Glan-Taylor polarizing prisms. The linear and angular apertures of the AOTF are 1.5 x 1.5 cm2 and 1.2 degrees, respectively. Imager setup and spectral imaging results as well as analyses and discussion of various factors affecting image quality are presented.