title: RECENT PROGRESS IN MULTIFOCAL MULTIPHOTON MICROSCOPY.
abstract: Multifocal multiphoton microscopy (MMM) has recently become an important tool in biomedicine for performing three-dimensional fast fluorescence imaging. Using various beamsplitting techniques, MMM splits the near-infrared laser beam into multiple beamlets and produces a multifocal array on the sample for parallel multiphoton excitation and then records fluorescence signal from all foci simultaneously with an area array detector, which significantly improves the imaging speed of multiphoton microscopy and allows for high efficiency in use of the excitation light. In this paper, we discuss the features of several MMM setups using different beamsplitting devices, including a Nipkow spinning disk, a microlens array, a set of beamsplitting mirrors, or a diffractive optical element (DOE). In particular, we present our recent work on the development of an MMM using a spatial light modulator (SLM).
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Junle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: School of Technical Physics, Xidian University Xi'an 710071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yonghong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hanben
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering and COMSET Clemson University, Clemson SC 29634, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Gao
keywords: Multifocal multiphoton microscopy (MMM); beamsplitter; diffractive optical element (DOE); microlens array; spatial light modulator (SLM)