System and method for self-interference fluorescence microscopy, and computer-accessible medium associated therewith

• US 8,040,608 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Evans, Conor L., De Groot, Mattijs, De Boer, Johannes F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Souw; Bernard E
• Application Number:
  US12/201,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20090059360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 250/201.9, 250/227.23, 250/227.27, 250/483.1, 250/484.2, 250/484.4, 250/486.1, 250/488.1, 250/550, 359/10, 359/11, 359/279, 359/580, 359/586, 359/587, 359/589, 359/590, 356/432, 356/442, 356/444, 382/154, 382/210
• US Class Current: 359/589
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6458 Fluorescence microscopy fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0056 based on optical coherence, e.g. phase-contrast arrangements, interference arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0064 multi-spectral or wavelength-selective arrangements, e.g. wavelength fan-out, chromatic profiling G02B21/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0076 arrangements using fluorescence or luminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/16 adapted for ultraviolet illumination ; Fluorescence microscopes G02B21/0076 takes precedence

Abstract

Exemplary apparatus and/or method can be provided using which, it is possible to provide information associated with at least one portion of a sample. For example, at least one electro-magnetic radiation received from the at least one portion of the sample can be separated into a plurality of first radiations, one of the first radiations having a phase delay that is different from a phase delay of another of the first radiations. In addition, at least one of the first radiations can be received and separated into second radiations according to wavelengths of the received at least one of the first radiations. Further, it is possible to detect the second radiations and generate information regarding a position of the at least one portion of the sample as a function of at least one characteristic of at least one interference of the first radiations. According to another exemplary embodiment, it is possible to provide system, method and computer accessible medium, in which data associated with first radiations can be obtained, and the information regarding a position of the at least one portion of the sample may be generated. Such information can be generated based on the data by separating second radiations associated with the portion(s) of the sample according to wavelengths of at least one of the second radiations. For example, one of the second radiations can have a phase delay that is different from a phase delay of another one of the second radiations, and the second radiations may be interfering.

Claims

1. An apparatus which is configured to obtain at least one electro-magnetic radiation from at least one portion of a sample, comprising:

at least one first arrangement which is configured to separate the at least one electro-magnetic radiation into a plurality of first radiations to have cross-sections that are different from one another, the at least one first arrangement being configured to impart a phase delay over the cross-section of one of the first radiations that is different from a phase delay over the cross-section of another one of the first radiations;

at least one second arrangement which is configured to receive at least one of the first radiations, and separate the received at least one of the first radiations into second radiations according to wavelengths of the received at least one of the first radiations;

at least one third arrangement which is configured to spatially filter at least one of the first radiations or the second radiations; and

at least one fourth arrangement which is configured to detect the second radiations and generate information regarding a position of the at least one portion of the sample as a function of at least one characteristic of the self-interference of the first radiations.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first radiations are self-interfering with one another.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the position information includes at least one of a lateral position or depth of the at least one portion.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of a phase of the self-interference or an intensity of the self-interference, and wherein the information is generated based on a spectral modulation of the self-interference of the first radiations.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first arrangement includes at least two optical elements having optical thicknesses to effectuate a first path length difference between any of the at least two optical elements which is different from a second path length difference in any of other of the at least two optical elements.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an optical path length difference between any of the at least two optical elements produces approximately an integer number of modulations of a spectrum of a self-interference of the first radiations.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the integer number is different for any combination of path length differences between the at least two optical elements.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one fifth arrangement which is configured to provide an excitation radiation so as to generate the at least one electro-magnetic radiation.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising at least one seventh arrangement which is configured to receive the excitation radiation and provide radiation which is associated with different locations on the at least one portion of the sample based on the excitation radiation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement includes at least one of a pin hole, an array of pin holes, a optical fiber or a fiber array.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the optical fiber is a single mode fiber, and wherein the fiber array includes single mode fibers.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sixth arrangement which is configured to provide radiation which is associated with different locations on the at least one portion of the sample.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one sixth arrangement includes scanning mirrors.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electro-magnetic radiation includes a plurality of radiations which is provided from a plurality of portions of the sample.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one third arrangement includes an array of pin holes, and further comprising a particular two-dimensional arrangement configured to detect a plurality of spectra of the second radiations associated with the plurality of portions of the sample.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processing arrangement is configured to perform the Fourier transformation to generate a phase of at least one interference of the second radiations, and wherein the phase is associated with a position of the at least one portion of the sample.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the information is generated based on the at least one of the phase or the amplitude of the at least one interference of the second radiations.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the information includes a position information of the at least one portion.

26. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first arrangement is further configured to propagate the first radiations along substantially the same direction.

28. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first radiations correspond to respective geometrical portions of the at least one radiation.

16. An apparatus which is configured to generate information associated with at least one portion of a sample, comprising:

at least one processing arrangement which is configured to obtain data associated with first radiations and generate the information regarding a position of the at least one portion of the sample based on the data,

wherein the first radiations are generated by separating second radiations associated with the at least one portion of the sample according to wavelengths of the at least one of the second radiations,

wherein the second radiations are generated by splitting radiation provided from sample to have (i) cross-sections that are different from one another and (ii) a phase delay over the cross-section of one of the second radiations that is different from a phase delay over the cross-section of another one of the second radiations, and

wherein the second radiations are interfering with one another; and

at least one further arrangement which is configured to spatially filter at least one of the first radiations or the second radiations.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second radiations are self-interfering.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least one processing arrangement is configured to generate the information by performing a Fourier transformation of the data.

22. A method to provide information associated with at least one portion of a sample, comprising:

separating at least one electro-magnetic radiation received from the at least one portion of the sample into a plurality of first radiations to have cross-sections that are different from one another, and imparting a phase delay over the cross-section of one of the first radiations that is different from a phase delay over the cross-section of another one of the first radiations;

receiving least one of the first radiations, and separating the received at least one of the first radiations into second radiations according to wavelengths of the received at least one of the first radiations;

spatially filter at least one of the first radiations or the second radiations; and

detecting the second radiations and generating information regarding a position of the at least one portion of the sample as a function of at least one characteristic of at least one interference of the first radiations with one another.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the at least one interference of the first radiations is self-interfering.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the at least one first arrangement is further configured to propagate the first radiations along substantially the same direction.

29. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first radiations correspond to respective geometrical portions of the at least one radiation.

24. A method for providing information associated with at least one portion of a sample, comprising:

obtaining data associated with first radiations; and

generating the information regarding a position of the at least one portion of the sample based on the data by separating second radiations associated with the at least one portion of the sample according to wavelengths of the at least one of the second radiations, wherein the second radiations are generated by splitting radiation provided from sample to have (i) cross-sections that are different from one another and (ii) a phase delay over the cross-section of one of the second radiations that is different from a phase delay over the cross-section of another one of the second radiations, wherein the second radiations are interfering with one another, and wherein at least one of the first radiations or the second radiations is spatially filtered.

25. A computer-accessible medium which includes software thereon to provide information associated with at least one portion of a sample, wherein, when the software is executed by a processing arrangement, the processing arrangement is configured to perform procedures comprising:

obtaining data associated with first radiations; and

generating the information regarding a position of the at least one portion of the sample based on the data by separating second radiations associated with the at least one portion of the sample according to wavelengths of the at least one of the second radiations, wherein the second radiations are generated by splitting radiation provided from sample to have (i) cross-sections that are different from one another and (ii) a phase delay over the cross-section of one of the second radiations that is different from a phase delay over the cross-section of another one of the second radiations, wherein the second radiations are interfering with one another, and wherein at least one of the first radiations or the second radiations is spatially filtered.