Fiberoptic Confocal Microscopy Using a 1.55-$mu$m Fiber Laser for Multimodal Biophotonics Applications

摘要

We have experimentally demonstrated a fiberoptic confocal microscope using a 1.55- $mu$m laser source. A compact and efficient Er-doped fiber laser source and conventional single-mode fiber components were used to construct a near-infrared fiberoptic confocal microscope system with 3-D scanning capability. A broadband 1.55-$mu$m light source was used to reduce fringe patterns and interferences that occur when a highly coherent source is used. Our system showed a lateral resolution as high as 1.1 $mu$m with a 60 $times$ objective lens, which is close to the theoretical limit. The system can be used in various multimodal biophotonics platforms including precise 3-D imaging, biosensing, and laser tissue ablation due to its high water absorption characteristics while maintaining low thermomechanical and self-focusing damage from high-power lasers.