Open AccessSpeckle-free, near-infrared portable confocal microscope
Author(s) -
Cheng Gong,
Delaney B. Stratton,
Clara CurielLewandrowski,
Dongkyun Kang
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
applied optics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2155-3165
pISSN - 1559-128X
DOI - 10.1364/ao.392004
Subject(s) - microscope , confocal , speckle pattern , materials science , confocal microscopy , stratum corneum , optics , biomedical engineering , dermis , microscopy , speckle imaging , pathology , medicine , physics
We have developed a portable confocal microscope (PCM) that uses an inexpensive near-infrared LED as the light source. Use of the spatially incoherent light source significantly reduced the speckle contrast. The PCM device was manufactured at the material cost of approximately $ 5000 and weighed only 1 kg. Lateral and axial resolutions were measured as 1.6 and 6.0 µm, respectively. Preliminary in vivo skin imaging experiment results showed that the PCM device could visualize characteristic cellular features of human skin extending from the stratum corneum to the superficial dermis. Dynamic imaging of blood flow in vivo was also demonstrated. The capability to visualize cellular features up to the superficial dermis is expected to facilitate evaluation and clinical adoption of this low-cost diagnostic imaging tool.