arXiv subjects

Wonshik Choi

Publications and source records attributed to Wonshik Choi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Refractive-index tomography of opaque tissue from its own backscattered light

The refractive index (RI) is an intrinsic, label-free marker of a living cell's dry mass and subcellular morphology, and hence of its physiological state. Its three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction has become a powerful way to study cells and tissues in their native state, spanning cell growth, drug response and disease diagnosis. Yet this capability rests on a fundamental constraint: the RI can be recovered only from light transmitted through the specimen, which demands optical access to both sides. The cells that matter most -- those within thick tissues, intact organs and living animals -- are therefore out of reach. A tissue, however, can illuminate its own cells from behind: light backscattered by intrinsic tissue structures beneath a cell carries the same transmission information a microscope would collect from the far side. Here we develop a divide-and-conquer inverse-scattering framework that recovers this transmission from the backscattering and reconstructs a cell's 3D RI. We demonstrate label-free, quantitative imaging of cells within an engineered tissue, and a living mouse through its intact skull, where we further quantify the dry mass of individual osteocytes in vivo. By removing the need for two-sided access, this reflection-only approach extends RI tomography into living tissue, enabling non-destructive, longitudinal imaging of cells in their native environment.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Decoding angular light paths for solving the inverse scattering problem

Multiple scattering in complex media scrambles the deterministic mapping between input and output fields, limiting wave control and imaging. Conventional inverse scattering strategies rely on discrete spatial layers, but this assumption breaks down in volumetric media where scattering is continuously distributed, particularly near the object plane. Here we introduce a framework that reformulates light transport in terms of scattering angles rather than spatial layers. We show that decomposing scattered waves into angular deflection components--each associated with a spatially invariant point spread function--provides a compact and depth-independent description of volumetric scattering. This representation is particularly effective in forward-scattering biological tissues, where most scattered energy is confined to a narrow angular range. Leveraging this angular sparsity, we develop a progressive inverse algorithm that retrieves dominant angular components from reflection measurements, converting multiply scattered light into usable signal by more than an order of magnitude of the ballistic signal. We demonstrate in vivo recovery of subcellular osteocyte networks through intact mouse skulls, a regime inaccessible to existing methods. These results establish the scattering-angle basis as a general physical framework for decoding information scrambled by disorder, extending the reach of deep optical imaging.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Multiphoton super-resolution imaging via virtual structured illumination

Imaging in thick biological tissues is often degraded by sample-induced aberrations, which reduce image quality and resolution, particularly in super-resolution techniques. While hardware-based adaptive optics, which correct aberrations using wavefront shaping devices, provide an effective solution, their complexity and cost limit accessibility. Computational methods offer simpler alternatives but struggle with complex aberrations due to the incoherent nature of fluorescence. Here, we present a deep-tissue super-resolution imaging framework that addresses these challenges with minimal hardware modification. By replacing the photodetector in a standard laser-scanning microscope with a camera, we measure an incoherent response matrix (IRM). A dual deconvolution algorithm is developed to decompose the IRM into excitation and emission optical transfer functions and the object spectrum. The proposed method simultaneously corrects excitation and emission point-spread functions (PSFs), achieving a resolution of λ/4, comparable to structured illumination microscopy. Unlike existing computational methods that rely on vector decomposition of a single convoluted PSF, our matrix-based approach enhances image reconstruction, particularly for high spatial frequency components, enabling super-resolution even in the presence of complex aberrations. We validated this framework with two-photon super-resolution imaging, achieving a lateral resolution of 130 nanometers at a depth of 180 micrometers in thick mouse brain tissue.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

All-optical in vivo photoacoustic tomography by adaptive multilayer temporal backpropagation

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) offers high optical contrast with acoustic imaging depth, making it essential for biomedical applications. While many all-optical systems have been developed to address limitations of ultrasound transducers, such as limited spatial sampling and optical path obstructions, measuring surface displacements on rough and dynamic tissues remains challenging. Existing methods often lack sensitivity for in vivo imaging or are complex and time-consuming. Here, we present an all-optical PAT system that enables fast, high-resolution volumetric imaging in live tissues. Using full-field holographic microscopy combined with a soft cover layer and coherent averaging, the system maps surface displacements over a 10 mm*10 mm area with 0.5 nm sensitivity in 1 second. A temporal backpropagation algorithm reconstructs 3D images from a single pressure map, allowing rapid, depth-selective imaging. With adaptive multilayer backpropagation, the system achieves imaging depths of up to 5 mm, with lateral and axial resolutions of 158 micrometer and 92 micrometer as demonstrated through in vivo imaging of mouse vasculature.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Implementation of reflection matrix microscopy: An algorithm perspective

Over the past decade, reflection matrix microscopy (RMM) and advanced image reconstruction algorithms have emerged to address the fundamental imaging depth limitations of optical microscopy in thick biological tissues and complex media. In this study, we introduce significant advancements in reflection matrix processing algorithms, including logical indexing, power iterations, and low-frequency blocking. These enhance the processing speed of aperture synthesis, 3D image reconstruction, and aberration correction by orders of magnitude. Detailed algorithm implementations, along with experimental data, are provided to facilitate the widespread adoption of RMM in various deep-tissue imaging applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Ptychographic lensless coherent endomicroscopy through a flexible fiber bundle

Conventional fiber-bundle-based endoscopes allow minimally invasive imaging through flexible multi-core fiber (MCF) bundles by placing a miniature lens at the distal tip and using each core as an imaging pixel. In recent years, lensless imaging through MCFs was made possible by correcting the core-to-core phase distortions pre-measured in a calibration procedure. However, temporally varying wavefront distortions, for instance, due to dynamic fiber bending, pose a challenge for such approaches. Here, we demonstrate a coherent lensless imaging technique based on intensity-only measurements insensitive to core-to-core phase distortions. We leverage a ptychographic reconstruction algorithm to retrieve the phase and amplitude profiles of reflective objects placed at a distance from the fiber tip, using as input a set of diffracted intensity patterns reflected from the object when the illumination is scanned over the MCF cores. Our approach thus utilizes an acquisition process equivalent to confocal microendoscopy, only replacing the single detector with a camera.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Synthetic aperture phase imaging of second harmonic generation field with computational adaptive optics

Second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy provides label-free imaging of biological tissues with unique contrast mechanisms, but its resolution is limited by the diffraction limit. Here, we present the first experimental demonstration of super-resolution quantitative phase imaging of the SHG field based on synthetic aperture Fourier holographic microscopy. We discuss the mathematical model of synthetic-aperture imaging of SHG fields, as well as the computational adaptive optics technique for correcting sample-induced aberration. We demonstrate proof-of-concept experiments where SHG targets are embedded within a thick scattering medium to validate the performance of the proposed imaging technique. It is shown to be able to overcome the conventional Abbe diffraction limit even in the complex aberrations and strong multiple scattering. We also demonstrate SHG-based super-resolution deep-tissue phase imaging of ex-vivo zebrafish muscle tissue.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Tracing multiple scattering trajectories for deep optical imaging in scattering media

Multiple light scattering hampers imaging objects in complex scattering media. Approaches used in real practices mainly aim to filter out multiple scattering obscuring the ballistic waves that travel straight through the scattering medium. Here, we propose a method that makes the deterministic use of multiple scattering for microscopic imaging of an object embedded deep within scattering media. The proposed method finds a stack of multiple complex phase plates that generate similar light trajectories as the original scattering medium. By implementing the inverse scattering using the identified phase plates, our method rectifies multiple scattering and amplifies ballistic waves by almost 600 times, which leads to a substantial increase in imaging depth. Our study marks an important milestone in solving the longstanding high-order inverse scattering problems.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Acousto-optic volumetric gating for reflection-mode deep optical imaging within a scattering medium

The imaging depth of deep-tissue optical microscopy is governed by the performance of the gating operation that suppresses the multiply scattered waves obscuring the ballistic waves. Although various gating operations based on confocal, time-resolved/coherence-gated, and polarization-selective detections have proven to be effective, each has its own limitation; certain types of multiply scattered waves can bypass the gating. Here, we propose a method, volumetric gating, that introduces ultrasound focus to confocal reflectance imaging to suppress the multiply scattered waves traveling outside the ultrasonic focal volume. The volumetric gating axially rejects the multiply scattered wave traveling to a depth shallower than the object plane while suppressing the deeper penetrating portion that travels across the object plane outside the transversal extent of the ultrasonic focus of 30${\times}$90$ μm^2$. These joint gating actions along the axial and lateral directions attenuate the multiply scattered waves by a factor of 1/1000 or smaller, thereby extending the imaging depth to 12.1 times the scattering mean free path while maintaining the diffraction-limited resolution of 1.5 $μ$m. We demonstrated an increase in the imaging depth and contrast for internal tissue imaging of mouse colon and small intestine through their outer walls. We further developed theoretical and experimental frameworks to characterize the axial distribution of light trajectories inside scattering media. The volumetric gating will serve as an important addition to deep-tissue imaging modalities and a useful tool for studying wave propagation in scattering media.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Wave propagation dynamics inside a complex scattering medium by the temporal control of backscattered waves

Shaping the wavefront of an incident wave to a complex scattering medium has demonstrated interesting possibilities, such as sub-diffraction wave focusing and enhancing light energy delivery. However, wavefront shaping has mainly been based on the control of transmitted waves that are inaccessible in most realistic applications. Here, we investigate the effect of maximizing the backscattered waves at a specific flight time on wave propagation dynamics and energy transport. We find both experimentally and numerically that the maximization at a short flight time focuses waves on the particles constituting the scattering medium, leading to the attenuation of the wave transport. On the contrary, maximization at a long flight time induces constructive wave interference inside the medium and thus enhances wave transport. We provide a theoretical model explaining this interesting transition behavior based on wave correlation. Our study provides a fundamental understanding of the effect of wave control on internal wave dynamics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Exploiting volumetric wave correlation for enhanced depth imaging in scattering medium

Imaging an object embedded within a scattering medium requires the correction of complex sample-induced wave distortions. Existing approaches have been designed to resolve them by optimizing signal waves recorded in each 2D image. Here, we present a volumetric image reconstruction framework that merges two fundamental degrees of freedom, the wavelength and propagation angles of light waves, based on the object momentum conservation principle. On this basis, we propose methods for exploiting the correlation of signal waves from volumetric images to better cope with multiple scattering. By constructing experimental systems scanning both wavelength and illumination angle of the light source, we demonstrated a 32-fold increase in the use of signal waves compared with that of existing 2D-based approaches and achieved ultrahigh volumetric resolution (lateral resolution: 0.41 um, axial resolution: 0.60 um) even within complex scattering medium owing to the optimal coherent use of the extremely broad spectral bandwidth (225 nm).

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Roadmap on Wavefront Shaping and deep imaging in complex media

The last decade has seen the development of a wide set of tools, such as wavefront shaping, computational or fundamental methods, that allow to understand and control light propagation in a complex medium, such as biological tissues or multimode fibers. A vibrant and diverse community is now working on this field, that has revolutionized the prospect of diffraction-limited imaging at depth in tissues. This roadmap highlights several key aspects of this fast developing field, and some of the challenges and opportunities ahead.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

High-throughput volumetric adaptive optical imaging using compressed time-reversal matrix

Deep-tissue optical imaging suffers from the reduction of resolving power due to tissue-induced optical aberrations and multiple scattering noise. Reflection matrix approaches recording the maps of backscattered waves for all the possible orthogonal input channels have provided formidable solutions for removing severe aberrations and recovering the ideal diffraction-limited spatial resolution without relying on fluorescence labeling and guide stars. However, measuring the full input-output response of the tissue specimen is time-consuming, making the real-time image acquisition difficult. Here, we present the use of a time-reversal matrix, instead of the reflection matrix, for fast high-resolution volumetric imaging of a mouse brain. The time-reversal matrix reduces two-way problem to one-way problem, which effectively relieves the requirement for the coverage of input channels. Using a newly developed aberration correction algorithm designed for the time-reversal matrix, we demonstrated the correction of complex aberrations using as small as 2 % of the complete basis while maintaining the image reconstruction fidelity comparable to the fully sampled reflection matrix. Due to nearly 100-fold reduction in the matrix recording time, we could achieve real-time aberration-correction imaging for a field of view of 40 x 40 microns (176 x 176 pixels) at a frame rate of 80 Hz. Furthermore, we demonstrated high-throughput volumetric adaptive optical imaging of a mouse brain by recording a volume of 128 x 128 x 125 microns (568 x 568 x 125 voxels) in 3.58 s, correcting tissue aberrations at each and every 1-micron depth section, and visualizing myelinated axons with a lateral resolution of 0.45 microns and an axial resolution of 2 microns.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Fourier holographic endoscopy for label-free imaging through a narrow and curved passage

Ultrathin lensless fibre endoscopes offer minimally invasive investigation, but they mostly operate as a rigid type due to the need for prior calibration of a fibre probe. Furthermore, most implementations work in fluorescence mode rather than label-free imaging mode, making them unsuitable for medicine and industry. Herein, we report a fully flexible ultrathin fibre endoscope taking 3D holographic images of unstained tissues with 0.87-μm spatial resolution. Using a bare fibre bundle as thin as 200-μm diameter, we design a lensless Fourier holographic imaging configuration to selectively detect weak reflections from biological tissues, a critical step for stain-free reflectance imaging. A unique algorithm is developed for calibration-free holographic image reconstruction, allowing us to image through a narrow and curved passage regardless of fibre bending. We demonstrate endoscopic reflectance imaging of unstained rat intestine tissues that are completely invisible to conventional endoscopes. The proposed endoscope will expedite more accurate and earlier diagnosis than before with minimal complications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Laser scanning reflection-matrix microscopy for label-free in vivo imaging of a mouse brain through an intact skull

We present a laser scanning reflection-matrix microscopy combining the scanning of laser focus and the wide-field mapping of the electric field of the backscattered waves for eliminating higher-order aberrations even in the presence of strong multiple light scattering noise. Unlike conventional confocal laser scanning microscopy, we record the amplitude and phase maps of reflected waves from the sample not only at the confocal pinhole, but also at other non-confocal points. These additional measurements lead us to constructing a time-resolved reflection matrix, with which the sample-induced aberrations for the illumination and detection pathways are separately identified and corrected. We realized in vivo reflectance imaging of myelinated axons through an intact skull of a living mouse with the spatial resolution close to the ideal diffraction limit. Furthermore, we demonstrated near-diffraction-limited multiphoton imaging through an intact skull by physically correcting the aberrations identified from the reflection matrix. The proposed method is expected to extend the range of applications, where the knowledge of the detailed microscopic information deep within biological tissues is critical.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2019

Microscopic imaging of non-repetitive dynamic scenes at 5 THz frame rates by time and spatial frequency multiplexing

Femtosecond-scale ultrafast imaging is an essential tool for visualizing ultrafast dynamics in molecular biology, physical chemistry, atomic physics, and fluid dynamics. Pump-probe imaging and a streak camera are the most widely used techniques, but they are either demanding the repetitions of the same scene or sacrificing the number of imaging dimensions. Many interesting single-shot ultrafast imaging techniques have been developed in recent years for recording non-repetitive dynamic scenes. Nevertheless, there are still weaknesses in the number of frames, the number of image pixels, or spatial/temporal resolution. Here, we present a single-shot ultrafast microscopy that can capture more than a dozen frames at a time with the frame rate of 5 THz. We combine a spatial light modulator and a custom-made echelon for efficiently generating a large number of reference pulses with designed time delays and propagation angles. The single-shot recording of the interference image between these reference pulses with a sample pulse allows us to retrieve the stroboscopic images of the dynamic scene at the timing of the reference pulses. We demonstrated the recording of 14 temporal snapshots at a time, which is the largest to date, with the optimal temporal resolution set by the laser output pulse. Our ultrafast microscopy is highly scalable in the number of frames and temporal resolutions, and this will have profound impacts on uncovering the interesting spatio-temporal dynamics yet to be explored.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Near-field imaging beyond the probe aperture limit

Near-field scanning optical microscopy has been an indispensable tool for designing, characterizing and understanding the functionalities of diverse nanoscale photonic devices. As the advances in fabrication technology have driven the devices smaller and smaller, the demand has grown steadily for improving its resolving power, which is determined mainly by the size of the probe attached to the scanner. The use of a smaller probe has been a straightforward approach to increase the resolving power, but it cannot be made arbitrarily small in practice due to the steep reduction of the collection efficiency. Here, we develop a method to enhance the resolving power of near-field imaging beyond the limit set by the physical size of the probe aperture. The main working principle is to unveil high-order near-field eigenmodes invisible with conventional near-field microscopy. The destructive interference of near-field waves is induced in these high-order eigenmodes by the locally varying phases, which can reveal subaperture-scale fine structural details. To extract these eigenmodes, we construct a self-interference near-field microscopy system and measure a fully phase-referenced far- to near-field transmission matrix (FNTM) composed of near-field amplitude and phase maps recorded for various angles of far-field illumination. By the singular value decomposition of the measured FNTM, we could extract the antisymmetric mode, quadrupole mode, and other higher-order modes hidden under the lowest-order symmetric mode. This enables us to resolve double and triple nano-slots whose gap size (50 nm) is three times smaller than the diameter of the probe aperture (150 nm). The subaperture near-field mode mapping by the FTNM can be potentially combined with various existing near-field imaging modalities and promote their ability to interrogate local near-field optical waves of nanoscale devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2018

Coherent space-gated microscopy: a step towards deep-tissue phase imaging of biological cells

High-resolution optical microscopy suffers from a low contrast in scattering media where a multiply scattered wave obscures a ballistic wave used for image formation. To extend the imaging depth, various gating operations - confocal, coherence, and polarization gating - have been devised to filter out the multiply scattered wave. However, these gating methods are imperfect as they all act on the detection plane located outside a scattering medium. Here, we present a new gating scheme, called 'space' gating, that rejects the multiply scattered wave directly at the object plane inside a scattering medium. Specifically, we introduced a 30 $μ$m-wide acoustic focus to the object plane and reconstructed a coherent image only with the ballistic wave modulated by acousto-optic interaction. This method allows us to reject the multiply scattered wave that the existing gating methods cannot filter out and improves the ratio of the ballistic wave to the multiply scattered wave by more than 100 times for a scattering medium more than 20 times thicker than its scattering mean free path. Using the coherent imaging technique based on space gating, we demonstrate the unprecedented imaging capability - phase imaging of optically transparent biological cells fully embedded within a scattering medium - with a spatial resolution of 1.5 $μ$m.

physics.optics↗