OptoFluidic Adaptive Optics (OFAO)

光流体自适应光学（OFAO）设想了一种前所未有的折射率自适应光学系统，该系统以可重构的自由形状膜作为空间相位调制器。自适应光学（AO）主要用于地面望远镜的大气湍流补偿，长期以来一直被证明是一种昂贵但强大的通过湍流介质进行衍射限制成像的技术。近年来，在共聚焦和全视野模式中，大量的生命科学显微镜方法也适应了AO，以提高深度组织成像的分辨率和对比度。尽管取得了很有希望的结果，但AO的广泛接受主要受到成本过高的阻碍。所有实用的AO系统都具有相同的基本结构，即反射变形镜和波前传感器，结合在一个复杂而昂贵的光学装置中。我们提出了一种全新的自适应光学方法，这有可能大大扩展光学的应用领域。为了实现这一目标，OFAO将积极参与以下主题：-能够任意波前校正的自适应折射表面：一个充满光学液体并由弹性聚合物密封的腔构成OFAO将使用的基本布置。使用ITO，由许多电极组成的电活性光学透明层可以使膜变形成所需的形状；假设聚合物膜是导电的。另一种方法是使用绝缘膜材料，并使用离子液体作为光学液体。-使用图像固有信息的无传感器波前估计：无论是共聚焦显微镜还是全视野显微镜，现在都存在有效的算法，使用图像平面信息来估计波前畸变。OFAO将利用这些方法来消除波前传感器，并获得一个完全在线的AO系统，与大多数生命科学显微镜方法兼容。-控制算法和电子：对生命科学来说，动态实时成像与成像质量一样重要；因此，以与传统AO系统相当的速度进行波前校正是OFAO的另一个主要目标。这里的挑战是将计算的波前畸变转化为机械膜轮廓，这将通过软件接口和高压驱动电子设备来解决。ofao折射自适应光学系统不仅简化了生命科学显微镜的AO，而且通过小型化开辟了新的机会。OFAO方法提供了一个理想的解决方案，将AO降低到客观水平。再加上基于软件的波前估计算法和通过简单接口连接的外部驱动盒，这种AO物镜将传统显微镜提升为AO显微镜，能够校正样品引起的、环境和照明相关的波前误差。

OptoFluidic Adaptive Optics (OFAO) envisions an unprecedented refractive adaptive optics system featuring a reconfigurable freeform membrane as the spatial phase modulator. Employed primarily in ground-based telescopes for atmospheric turbulence compensation, adaptive optics (AO) has long proven to be a costly yet powerful enabler of diffraction limited imaging through turbulent media. A plethora of life science microscopy methods both in confocal and full-field modalities have also adapted AO in recent years to enhance resolution as well as contrast in deep tissue imaging. Despite very promising results, widespread acceptance of AO is impeded primarily by the excessive cost. All practical AO systems share the same basic architecture of a reflective deformable mirror and a wavefront sensor combined in an intricate yet expensive optical arrangement. We propose a completely new approach to adaptive optics, which has the potential to significantly expand the application area of AO. To achieve this goal, OFAO will be active in the following topics:- Adaptive refractive surfaces capable of arbitrary wavefront correction: A cavity filled with an optical liquid and sealed by an elastic polymer constitutes the basic arrangement that OFAO will use. Using ITO, an electrically active yet optically transparent layer of many electrodes can deform the membrane in the desired shape; given the polymer membrane is conductive. An alternative approach is to use insulating membrane material and use an ionic liquid as the optical liquid. - Sensorless wavefront estimation using the information inherent in the image: Both for confocal and full-field microscopy, there now exist efficient algorithms that use the image plane information to estimate the wavefront distortion. OFAO will capitalize on these methods to eliminate the wavefront sensor and attain a fully in-line AO system compatible for majority of life science microscopy methods.- Control algorithms and electronics: For life-sciences, dynamic real-time imaging is as crucial as the imaging quality; therefore performing wavefront correction at a speed comparable to conventional AO systems is another major goal of OFAO. The challenge here is to translate the computed wavefront distortion into mechanical membrane profile, which will be addressed by both a software interface and high voltage driving electronics. OFAOs refractive adaptive optics system will not only simplify AO for life science microscopy, but also unravel new opportunities through miniaturization. The OFAO approach offers an ideal solution by bringing AO down to the objective level. Coupled with a software-based wavefront estimation algorithm and an external driving box connected to it via a simple interface, such an AO objective would elevate a conventional microscope to an AO microscope, capable of correcting sample-induced, environmental and illumination-related wavefront errors.