Conjugate adaptive optics in widefield microscopy with an extended-source wavefront sensor

Abstract

Subsurface microscopy is often limited by poor image quality due to sample-induced aberrations. Adaptive optics (AO) can counter such aberrations, though generally over limited fields of view. In most applications, AO is either slow or requires a “guide star” in the sample to serve as a localized reference target. We describe a fast closed-loop feedback implementation of AO that requires no guide stars, where the sample itself serves as the reference. Several features of our implementation are new. First, it is based on a high-resolution, single-shot wavefront sensor that is compatible with extended samples. Second, it is applied to widefield (i.e., nonscanning) microscopy in a conjugate AO configuration that increases field of view. Third, it makes use of a fast algorithm to identify sample-induced aberrations using illumination from an arbitrarily shaped source. We present the principle of our technique and proof-of-concept experimental demonstrations.