Multi-focal Microscopic System Using a Fiber Bundle

Abstract

We have constructed and analyzed the performance of a simple fiber bundle multi-focal microscope. The microscope had a fiber bundle substituted for micro-lens array that is the core part of MMM(multi-focal multi-photon microscope). The MMM is a type of confocal microscope. To analyze the performance and characteristics of the fiber bundle multi-focal microscope, three types of samples were used: a standard grating, USAF 1951(7, 3), and 1951(7, 6). Using two polarizers and a polarizing beam splitter, we eliminated noise and got clear images. We obtained the FWHM of fiber spot images with the standard grating using two different magnifier lenses which were 63X and 20X, and found an image of the sample as a distribution of fiber spot images. For this case we used the low magnification lens, which gives denser distribution, so that we could get clearer images. In order to test the resolution of the fiber bundle multi-focal microscopic system, we used the USAF 1951 sample which has a smaller line interval than that of the standard grating. The FWHM of the line width of the image coincides well with the real line width of the USAF 1951 sample. We confirmed the performance of a fiber bundle multi-focal microscopic system which is relatively simple but has submicron resolution and is able to get 1600 images at the same time.