Light Field Microscopy Super-Resolution via Microlens Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Light field microscopy sacrifices lateral spatial resolution to record angular information, resulting in considerable resolution loss, which poses challenges for various imaging applications.
Innovation Solution
The use of an objective lens, a microlens array, and a photosensor array to detect light rays at different angles, allowing for the reconstruction of a deconvolved volume image by combining aliased views based on overlapping light rays from different angles, thereby achieving 'super-resolution' through increased effective spatial sampling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If light field microscopy records many discrete ray angles to capture angular information, then angular information is improved, but lateral spatial resolution deteriorates due to resolution loss proportional to the number of ray angles collected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D spatial sampling to 4D light field sampling by incorporating angular dimensions. The microlens array decomposes incoming light into multiple ray angles, creating a 4D light field dataset (x, y, u, v coordinates) that enables both spatial and angular information to be captured simultaneously without the traditional resolution trade-off
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple aliased view copies of the specimen from different ray angles. Each photosensor set captures an aliased view, and these multiple copies are computationally processed to reconstruct super-resolution images. The copying approach allows angular information to be extracted without permanently losing spatial resolution, as the spatial information is preserved in the aliased patterns across multiple copies
2Device complexity
If the microlens array pitch and sensor pixel size are fixed, then device complexity is reduced, but spatial resolution is limited by the band-limiting blurring effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sampling parameters by collecting light rays at multiple discrete angles through the microlens array. This angular sampling transforms the problem from a resolution-limited single-view system to a multi-angle tomographic system, where the effective spatial sampling rate increases despite fixed physical dimensions of the microlens array and sensor pixels
3Productivity
If individual angle views are under-sampled, then device complexity and data processing requirements are reduced, but reconstruction quality deteriorates due to aliasing in each single-angle view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple under-sampled aliased views from different ray angles into a single super-resolution reconstruction. By combining the aliased patterns across multiple angles through tomographic reconstruction algorithms, the effective spatial sampling rate increases, allowing reconstruction quality to exceed the limitations of any single under-sampled view
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 recovers spatial resolution and reconstructs a fully deconvolved 3D volume using limited-angle tomography, enhancing the light field 'super-resolution' by leveraging the frequent but irregular pattern of overlapping light rays, even when individual angles are under-sampled.
Implementation Method 1
The lenslet array decomposes incoming light, focusing it onto the image sensor so that light at different field positions and ray angles are recorded by separate sensor pixels
Implementation Method 2
detect light rays received at different angles from a specimen via the objective lens and microlens array
Data Source
AI summary
Images are detected in a manner that addresses various challenges as discussed herein. As may be consistent with one or more embodiments, aspects are directed to an apparatus having sets of photosensors that detect light rays received at different angles from a specimen via a microlens array, with the light rays detected by each set of photosensors representing an aliased view of the specimen. An output indicative of aliased views of the specimen is provided. Certain embodiments further include a logic circuit that processes the output and generates a deconvolved volume image by combining aliased views of the specimen as detected by the photosensors.