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Simultaneous multi‐spectral, single‐photon fluorescence imaging using a plasmonic colour filter array
Author(s) -
Connolly Peter W. R.,
Valli Jessica,
Shah Yash D.,
Altmann Yoann,
Grant James,
Accarino Claudio,
Rickman Colin,
Cumming David R. S.,
Buller Gerald S.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of biophotonics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.877
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1864-0648
pISSN - 1864-063X
DOI - 10.1002/jbio.202000505
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , plasmon , prism , fluorescence , optoelectronics , spectral imaging , grating , filter (signal processing) , physics , computer science , computer vision
We present the first realisation of simultaneous multi‐spectral fluorescence imaging using a single‐photon avalanche diode (SPAD) array, where the spectral unmixing is facilitated by a plasmonic metasurface mosaic colour filter array (CFA). A 64 × 64 pixel format silicon SPAD array is used to record widefield fluorescence and brightfield data from four biological samples. A plasmonic metasurface composed of an arrangement of circular and elliptical nanoholes etched into an aluminium thin film deposited on a glass substrate provides the high transmission efficiency CFA, enabling a bespoke spectral unmixing algorithm to reconstruct high fidelity, full colour images from as few as ∼3 photons per pixel. This approach points the way toward real‐time, single‐photon sensitive multi‐spectral fluorescence imaging. Furthermore, this is possible without additional bulky components such as a filter wheel, prism or diffraction grating, nor the need for multiple sample exposures or multiple detectors.