Galvanometer Scanner for Wide Field Fluorescence Tomography
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current tomographic imaging systems face challenges in rapidly illuminating multiple locations across a wide field of view, particularly in in vivo small animal imaging, which limits their ability to achieve high-resolution imaging and flexibility in using high-powered lasers with diverse excitation wavelengths.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a galvanometer optical scanner to rapidly scan excitation light across a wide field of view using tailored beam shapes, allowing for the use of high-powered lasers and enabling multi-spectral imaging by accommodating various excitation wavelengths and sources, including those that emit highly divergent beams, and facilitates the simultaneous imaging of multiple subjects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional illumination methods are used to cover a wide field of view, then the field of view is expanded, but the illumination speed decreases and resolution is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wide field of view into multiple discrete illumination locations that are sequentially scanned by the galvanometer optical scanner. Instead of attempting to illuminate the entire wide field simultaneously with conventional methods, the system segments the illumination task into discrete locations that can be rapidly accessed one by one, achieving both wide coverage and high speed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical illumination systems with a galvanometer optical scanner that uses electromagnetic fields to rapidly position laser beams. This substitution of mechanical illumination with electromagnetically-controlled optical scanning enables much faster illumination speeds while maintaining wide field of view coverage
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional illumination systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to use high-powered lasers with diverse wavelengths is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal illumination system where the galvanometer optical scanner can accommodate multiple laser sources with different wavelengths and beam characteristics. The scanner is designed to work with various laser types (fiber-coupled, free-space, different wavelengths) through a unified optical interface, enabling multi-spectral imaging capabilities without requiring separate specialized systems for each wavelength
Solution Approach 2:
The galvanometer optical scanner serves as an intermediary component that bridges diverse laser sources and the imaging system. It provides a standardized interface that can handle different laser types and wavelengths, translating their diverse characteristics into a unified scanning format that the imaging system can process, thereby enabling laser versatility without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
3Manufacturing precision
If the beam is collimated to maintain spot size, then spot size is controlled, but highly divergent lasers cannot be used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic beam shaping that adjusts the optical properties of the laser beam based on its initial characteristics. For highly divergent lasers, the system dynamically modifies the beam path and focusing properties through the galvanometer scanner and associated optics to achieve consistent spot sizes at the target, rather than requiring all lasers to be pre-collimated to a fixed specification
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate, high-resolution tomographic imaging of large or multiple subjects, expands the capabilities of tomographic imaging systems, and allows for the efficient use of a wide range of high-powered lasers, enhancing imaging flexibility and depth penetration through absorptive and scattering media.
Implementation Method 1
a galvanometer optical scanner comprising one or more rotating galvanometer mirrors; the galvanometer optical scanner aligned and operable to direct the beam of excitation light to a plurality of locations within a scan region of the object plane via reflection by the one or more rotating galvanometer mirrors
Implementation Method 2
fluorescent species that are within a given location illuminated by the excitation light absorb the excitation light and emit fluorescent light, which is detected by one or more detectors
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein are systems and methods for tomographic imaging that provide for rapid illumination of multiple excitation locations across a large field of view by one or more beams of excitation light from one or more excitation sources. The approaches described herein utilize a galvanometer optical scanner to scan a beam of excitation light through a plurality of locations across a scan region corresponding to the field of view to be imaged. In certain embodiments, the systems and methods described herein utilize beams of excitation light with specifically tailored shapes to maintain small spot sizes across the large scan region. The ability to scan over a large region while still maintaining small spot sizes provided by the approaches described herein allows for accurate, high-resolution tomographic imaging of large or multiple subjects, thereby expanding the capabilities of tomographic imaging systems.