Design of a miniature head-mounted fluorescence microscope based on gradient refractive index lenses
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摘要:
在对自由移动的动物进行脑神经实时观测时,微型头戴式荧光显微镜是当前最为前沿的脑科学观测仪器之一。但是,现今多数微型荧光显微镜为了达到体积和重量的严格限制,使得视场较小,无法同时观测多个脑区的神经活动,而少数视场大的产品重量较大,无法佩戴在小型动物身上。本研究使用轻量化、平面化和成像质量高的梯度折射率透镜,在保证大视场的前提下,减小了显微镜的重量。本文使用梯度折射率透镜进行大视场微型荧光显微镜设计,推导了倾斜光线入射梯度折射率透镜时的离轴像差公式,分析了梯度折射率透镜的折射率排布模型和像差校正情况,并据此设计了一款微型荧光显微镜,其视场为4 mm×4 mm,NA为0.1,样机重量仅为2.89 g,中心视场分辨率为13.9 μm,初步达到了自由移动小鼠的脑神经细胞分辨率。
Abstract:In real-time brain neural observation of freely moving animals, the miniature head-mounted fluorescence microscope is currently one of the most advanced brain science observation instruments. However, most existing miniature fluorescence microscopes, in order to meet strict size and weight constraints, have a limited field of view, making it impossible to simultaneously observe neural activity in multiple brain regions. On the other hand, a few products with a larger field of view are too heavy to be worn on small animals. This study employs lightweight, planar, and high-quality gradient refractive index lenses to reduce the microscope's weight while ensuring a large field of view. Using gradient refractive index lenses for the design of a large-field-of-view miniature fluorescence microscope, this research derives the off-axis aberration formula for oblique light incidence on gradient refractive index lenses, analyzes the refractive index distribution model and aberration correction of these lenses, and designs a miniature fluorescence microscope with a 4 mm×4 mm field of view, a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.1, and a prototype weight of only 2.89 g. The central visual field resolution is 13.9 μm, preliminarily achieving the resolution for neural cells in freely moving mice.
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