SBIR Phase I: High-power laser compatible MEMS deformable mirrors for confocal and two-photon microscopy

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将通过使用静电驱动的可变形膜镜（DMM），在双光子显微镜（TPMs）内实现视频速率三维（3D）成像。作为激光扫描显微镜（lsm）的一个子集，TPMs通过使用聚焦的高功率激光束来激发荧光，通过同时吸收两个低能量红外光子来刺激可见光的发射，从而实现非常高的空间分辨率。与其他LSM方法相比，由于分辨率的提高和红外光对组织的穿透性增加，TPMs已被广泛接受用于医疗行业，特别是皮肤病学和神经病学。为该项目开发的技术将通过提供一种低成本、电可调的光学器件，能够同时控制焦点和像差，同时运行速度比竞争技术快一个数量级，从而解决价值5亿美元的LSM市场。这项技术的3D成像能力将导致显微镜技术和诊断方法的进步，从而减少诊断时间和患者的不适。该技术可以轻松解决的其他市场包括激光打标和雕刻、内窥镜、光学相干断层扫描和机器视觉。该项目的智力优势将是为基于微机电系统（MEMS）的变形镜开发高功率涂层。由于这些镜子由具有反射表面的薄膜组成，因此固体基板的标准玻璃涂层工艺是不相容的。相反，用于镜面的表面材料必须在DMM的许多制造步骤之一中沉积。该项目将解决开发高反射率涂层的独特挑战，并将其纳入现有的DMM制造工艺。该项目涉及四个关键目标：1)开发镀金变形镜；2)开发保护镀银变形镜；3)测量关键性能参数；4)测量和定义金银数字mm的功率处理能力和损伤阈值。预期的结果将是一个完全表征的DMM，能够在双光子显微镜使用的高功率飞秒激光照射下长时间工作。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will enable video-rate three-dimensional (3D) imaging within two-photon microscopes (TPMs) through the use of an electrostatically actuated deformable membrane mirror (DMM). As a subset of laser scanning microscopes (LSMs), TPMs achieve very high spatial resolution by using a focused, high-power laser beam to excite fluorescence via the simultaneous absorption of two low energy infrared photons to stimulate emission in the visible. Because of the increased resolution, and increased penetration of infrared light into tissue compared with other LSM methods, TPMs have become widely accepted for use in the medical industry, specifically for dermatology and neurology. The technology developed for this project will address the $500 million LSM market by delivering a low-cost, electrically tunable optic capable of simultaneously controlling focus and aberrations while operating an order of magnitude faster than competitive technologies. The 3D imaging capabilities enabled by this technology will result in an advancement of microscopy techniques and diagnostic methods, thereby reducing diagnostic time and patient discomfort. Other markets that can easily be addressed by this technology include laser marking and engraving, endoscopes, optical coherence tomography, and machine vision. The intellectual merit of this project will be the development of high-power capable coatings for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based deformable mirrors. Because these mirrors consist of a thin membrane with a reflective surface, standard glass coating processes for solid substrates are incompatible. Instead, the surface material for the mirror must be deposited within one of the many fabrication steps for the DMM. This project will address the unique challenges of developing high-reflectance coatings and incorporate them into the existing DMM fabrication process. The project involves four key objectives: 1) developing gold coated deformable mirrors, 2) developing protected silver coated deformable mirrors, 3) measuring key performance parameters, and 4) measuring and defining the power handling capability and damage thresholds of gold and silver DMMs. The anticipated result will be a fully characterized DMM capable of long operation under the high-power femtosecond laser illumination regime used in two photon microscopes.