A system, including an optical imaging assembly configured to image a sample at an object plane to an image plane; an image sensor arranged at the image plane and configured to capture images of the sample for a field of view of the system; a light source configured to emit light having a wavelength, λ; a spatial light modulator (SLM) arranged to receive the light emitted from the light source and to provide a spatially modulated light pattern; one or more optical elements arranged to receive the spatially modulated light pattern from the SLM and to direct the spatially modulated light pattern to the image plane; and an electronic controller in communication with the image sensor and the spatial light modulator, the electronic controller being programmed to identify one or more targets in the field of view of the optical imaging assembly and to control the spatial light modulator to selectively direct light from the light source to the one or more targets identified by the electronic controller.

A reflective spatial light modulator includes an electro-optic crystal having an input surface to which input light is input and a rear surface opposing the input surface, a light input/output unit being disposed on the input surface of the electro-optic crystal and having a first electrode through which the input light is transmitted, a light reflection unit including a substrate including a plurality of second electrodes and an adhesive layer for fixing the substrate to the rear surface and being disposed on the rear surface of the electro-optic crystal, and a drive circuit applying an electric field between the first electrode and the plurality of second electrodes.

Disclosed is a technology for illuminating a specimen in a desired uniform illumination pattern and capturing an image of a wide field of view in a low background illumination environment. Provided, for example, is a fluorescence microscope apparatus including a first illumination optics, a second illumination optics, and an imaging optics. The first illumination optics includes a first light source for exciting fluorescence in a specimen, a spatial light modulation element, and a first illumination optical member for uniformly illuminating the spatial light modulation element. The second illumination optics includes a second illumination optical member for forming an image of a light beam from the spatial light modulation element on a specimen surface. The imaging optics includes an imaging optical member and an imaging element. The imaging optical member captures an image of the specimen surface.

A device includes a plurality of imaging pixels in a spatial pattern with a formation of features disposed over the pixels. A first and a second feature of the formation of features are disposed over a first pixel. A first luminophore is disposed within or over the first feature. A second luminophore is disposed within or over the second feature. A structured illumination source is to direct at least a portion of first photons in an illumination pattern to the first feature at a first time, and to direct at least a portion of second photons in the illumination pattern to the second feature at a second time. The structured illumination source includes an illumination pattern generator having an illumination pattern generator actuator connected to the illumination pattern generator to cause the illumination pattern to translate or rotate relative to the formation of features.

A super class of polarized transverse vector vortex photon beams patterns are mathematically represented here, which are Majorana-like among them are the radial and azimuthal Laguerre-Gaussian, hybrid π-vector beams, and Airy beams. These optical beams are consider spin-orbit coupled beams based on OAM and SAM parts of light. A Majorana photon is a photon that is identical to its anti-photon. It has within itself both chirality, right and left-handed twist in polarization (SAM) and wavefront (OAM). Applications using Majorana photons improve optical deeper imaging, higher resolution imaging, Nonlinear Optics effects (SHG, SRS, SC), optical communication in free space and fibers, quantum computer as basic qubit, and entanglement for security.

Apparatuses and methods for microscopic analysis of a sample using spatial light manipulation to increase signal to noise ratio are described herein.

A pulsed beam of NIR excitation light is projected into a sample at an oblique angle and scanned by a scanning element through a volume in the sample. 2-photon excitation excites fluorescence within the sample. The fluorescence is imaged onto an intermediate image plane that remains stationary regardless of the orientation of the scanning element. The image is captured by a linear array of light detecting elements or a linear portion of a rectangular array. At any given position of the scanning element, the linear array (or portion) images all depths simultaneously. A plurality of images are captured for each of a plurality of different orientations of the scanning element. The orientation of the scanning element is controlled to move in a two dimensional pattern, which causes the beam of excitation light to sweep out a three dimensional volume within the sample.

Apparatuses and methods for microscopic analysis of a sample using spatial light manipulation to increase signal to noise ratio are described herein.

A system for analysis of a sample at a substrate comprises: a light source to generate first light; and a spatial light modulator to form second light from the first light, wherein the substrate includes at least one sensor to detect an emission emitted based on the second light, wherein at the substrate the second light forms a shape selected based on the at least one sensor, wherein the second light illuminates an area of the substrate corresponding to the shape.

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed whereby structured illumination microscopy (SIM) is applied to a scanning microscope, such as a confocal laser scanning microscope or sample scanning microscope, in order to improve spatial resolution. Particular aspects of the disclosure relate to the discovery of important advances in the ability to (i) increase light throughput to the sample, thereby increasing the signal/noise ratio and/or decreasing exposure time, as well as (ii) decrease the number of raw images to be processed, thereby decreasing image acquisition time. Both effects give rise to significant improvements in overall performance, to the benefit of users of scanning microscopy.