arXiv subjects

Xuchen Shan

Publications and source records attributed to Xuchen Shan.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Sub-40 nm resolution deep tissue imaging by image scanning emission saturation nanoscopy

The development of deep-tissue super-resolution imaging serves as an essential bridge toward non-invasive in vivo optical observation. However, there remain challenges to balance spatial resolution, imaging depth and phototoxicity. Here, we present a nanoscopy namely Image Scanning Emission Saturation (ISES) nanoscopy, achieving a lateral resolution of 37 nm, 1/25th of the excitation wavelength, at an imaging depth of 200 {\mu}m. Using a 976-nm doughnut-shaped excitation beam within an imaging-scanning microscopy configuration, we apply saturation-based point spread function (PSF) engineering and pixel-level confocal-pinhole enhancement to improve spatial resolution. As the high- and low-frequency components of the image OTF are concurrently acquired in a single scan via different camera pixels, Fourier-domain fusion can be employed with a single scanning dataset to further improve image quality. Compared with the traditional doughnut excitation beam-based adaptive pixel reassignment method, our strategy preserves the original frequency distributions and mitigates reconstruction artifacts in complex biological sample imaging. This strategy is generalizable and compatible with a variety of probes displaying saturation behavior. Beyond enabling a versatile and practical approach for deep tissue super-resolution imaging, it also informs the development of next-generation nanoprobes for imaging.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Multi-photon super-linear image scanning microscopy using upconversion nanoparticles

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is of great interest in life science studies for visualizing subcellular structures at the nanometer scale. Among various kinds of super-resolution approaches, image scanning microscopy (ISM) offers a doubled resolution enhancement in a simple and straightforward manner, based on the commonly used confocal microscopes. ISM is also suitable to be integrated with multi-photon microscopy techniques, such as two-photon excitation and second-harmonic generation imaging, for deep tissue imaging, but it remains the twofold limited resolution enhancement and requires expensive femtosecond lasers. Here, we present and experimentally demonstrate the super-linear ISM (SL-ISM) to push the resolution enhancement beyond the factor of two, with a single low-power, continuous-wave, and near-infrared laser, by harnessing the emission nonlinearity within the multiphoton excitation process of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). Based on a modified confocal microscope, we achieve a resolution of about 120 nm, 1/8th of the excitation wavelength. Furthermore, we demonstrate a parallel detection strategy of SL-ISM with the multifocal structured excitation pattern, to speed up the acquisition frame rate. This method suggests a new perspective for super-resolution imaging or sensing, multi-photon imaging, and deep-tissue imaging with simple, low-cost, and straightforward implementations.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Quantitative and dark field ghost imaging with ultraviolet light

Ultraviolet (UV) imaging enables a diverse array of applications, such as material composition analysis, biological fluorescence imaging, and detecting defects in semiconductor manufacturing. However, scientific-grade UV cameras with high quantum efficiency are expensive and include a complex thermoelectric cooling system. Here, we demonstrate a UV computational ghost imaging (UV-CGI) method to provide a cost-effective UV imaging and detection strategy. By applying spatial-temporal illumination patterns and using a 325 nm laser source, a single-pixel detector is enough to reconstruct the images of objects. To demonstrate its capability for quantitative detection, we use UV-CGI to distinguish four UV-sensitive sunscreen areas with different densities on a sample. Furthermore, we demonstrate dark field UV-CGI in both transmission and reflection schemes. By only collecting the scattered light from objects, we can detect the edges of pure phase objects and small scratches on a compact disc. Our results showcase a feasible low-cost solution for non-destructive UV imaging and detection. By combining it with other imaging techniques, such as hyperspectral imaging or time-resolved imaging, a compact and versatile UV computational imaging platform may be realized for future applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Dual-mode adaptive-SVD ghost imaging

In this paper, we present a dual-mode adaptive singular value decomposition ghost imaging (A-SVD GI), which can be easily switched between the modes of imaging and edge detection. It can adaptively localize the foreground pixels via a threshold selection method. Then only the foreground region is illuminated by the singular value decomposition (SVD) - based patterns, consequently retrieving high-quality images with fewer sampling ratios. By changing the selecting range of foreground pixels, the A-SVD GI can be switched to the mode of edge detection to directly reveal the edge of objects, without needing the original image. We investigate the performance of these two modes through both numerical simulations and experiments. We also develop a single-round scheme to halve measurement numbers in experiments, instead of separately illuminating positive and negative patterns in traditional methods. The binarized SVD patterns, generated by the spatial dithering method, are modulated by a digital micromirror device (DMD) to speed up the data acquisition. This dual-mode A-SVD GI can be applied in various applications, such as remote sensing or target recognition, and could be further extended for multi-modality functional imaging/detection.

eess.IV↗

arXiv2022

Exploiting dynamic nonlinearity in upconversion nanoparticles for super-resolution imaging

Single-beam super-resolution microscopy, also known as superlinear microscopy, exploits the nonlinear response of fluorescent probes in confocal microscopy. The technique requires no complex purpose-built system, light field modulation, or beam shaping. Here, we present a strategy to enhance spatial resolution of superlinear microscopy by modulating excitation intensity during image acquisition. This modulation induces dynamic optical nonlinearity in upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), resulting in variations of higher spatial-frequency information in the obtained images. The high-order information can be extracted with a proposed weighted finite difference imaging algorithm from raw fluorescence images, to generate an image with a higher resolution than superlinear microscopy images. We apply this approach to resolve two adjacent nanoparticles within a diffraction-limited area, improving the resolution to 130 nm. This work suggests a new scope for developing dynamic nonlinear fluorescent probes in super-resolution nanoscopy.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Heterochromatic nonlinear optical responses in upconversion nanoparticles for point spread function engineering

Point spread function (PSF) engineering of the emitter can code higher spatial frequency information of an image to break diffraction limit but suffer from the complexed optical systems. Here we present a robust strategy to simultaneously achieve diverse PSFs from upconversion nanoparticles under a single doughnut-shape scanning beam. By saturating the four-photon state, the high-frequency information can be extracted through the doughnut emission PSF. In contrast, the complementary lower frequency information can be carried out by the Gaussian-like emission PSF, as a result of over-saturated at the two-photon state. With the Fourier domain heterochromatic fusion, we verify the capability of the synthesised PSF to cover both low and high-frequency information, yielding the overall enhanced image quality. We show a spatial resolution of 40 nm, 1/24th of the excitation wavelength. This work suggests a new scope for developing nonlinear multi-colour emitting probes to improve image quality and noise control in nanoscopy.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Upconversion nonlinear structured illumination microscopy

Video-rate super-resolution imaging through biological tissue can visualize and track biomolecule interplays and transportations inside cellular organisms. Structured illumination microscopy allows for wide-field super resolution observation of biological samples but is limited by the strong absorption and scattering of light by biological tissues, which degrades its imaging resolution. Here we report a photon upconversion scheme using lanthanide-doped nanoparticles for wide-field super-resolution imaging through the biological transparent window, featured by near-infrared and low-irradiance nonlinear structured illumination. We demonstrate that the 976 nm excitation and 800 nm up-converted emission can mitigate the aberration. We found that the nonlinear response of upconversion emissions from single nanoparticles can effectively generate the required high spatial frequency components in Fourier domain. These strategies lead to a new modality in microscopy with a resolution of 130 nm, 1/7th of the excitation wavelength, and a frame rate of 1 fps.

physics.optics↗