MEMS based microendoscopes have become important imaging tools for early cancer diagnosis and precise tumor resection. Due to various technical challenges, few microendoscopes have been translated to clinics or applied to human patients. Through synergistic collaborations, we have developed novel MEMS scanner enabled microendoscopic multispectral (640nm to 780nm) three- dimensional dual-axis confocal fluorescent imaging system for translational applications, including early cancer detection and staging on colorectal cancer, molecular imaging guided surgical navigation on head and neck cancer. Based on dual-axis confocal microscopic architecture, we have miniaturized the imaging system with compact form-factor by integrating micro-optics and a patterned gold coated MEMS scanners, which have been custom-made and mass-produced in the nanofabrication foundry. The metal coating of the scanning mirror provide over 80% high reflectivity over near infra-red range. Both axes of the MEMS scanner could perform large tilting angle (> 6 degree mechanical scan angle) at DC and resonant mode. By advanced computational imaging approach, we have achieved real-time cross-sectional imaging in either raster or lissajous pattern scanning with fast frame rate (> 10 Hz) with large field-of-view (> 600 microns). Advanced real-time mosaicing algorithm has been developed to achieve broader view in millimeter scale. By utilizing molecular contrast probes conjugated with fluorescence dye, we have successfully demonstrated multi-spectral ex-vivo and in-vivo imaging on small animal tumor models and human tissue specimens, aimed for both early cancer detection and molecular imaging guided surgical navigation.
Synchrotron beamlines typically use macroscopic, quasi-static optics to manipulate x-ray beams. We present the use of dynamic microelectromechanical systems-based optics (MEMS) to temporally modulate synchrotron x-ray beams. We demonstrate this concept using single-crystal torsional MEMS micromirrors oscillating at frequencies of 75 kHz. Such a MEMS micromirror, with lateral dimensions of a few hundred micrometers, can interact with x rays by operating in grazing-incidence reflection geometry; x rays are deflected only when an x-ray pulse is incident on the rotating micromirror under appropriate conditions, i.e., at an angle less than the critical angle for reflectivity. The time window for such deflections depends on the frequency and amplitude of the MEMS rotation. We demonstrate that reflection geometry can produce a time window of a few microseconds. We further demonstrate that MEMS optics can isolate x rays from a selected synchrotron bunch or group of bunches. With ray-trace simulations we explain the currently achievable time windows and suggest a path toward improvements.
Time-resolved synchrotron x-ray measurements often rely on using a mechanical chopper to isolate a set of x-ray pulses. We have started the development of micro electromechanical systems (MEMS)-based x-ray optics, as an alternate method to manipulate x-ray beams. In the application of x-ray pulse isolation, we recently achieved a pulse-picking time window of half a nanosecond, which is more than 100 times faster than mechanical choppers can achieve. The MEMS device consists of a comb-drive silicon micromirror, designed for efficiently diffracting an x-ray beam during oscillation. The MEMS devices were operated in Bragg geometry and their oscillation was synchronized to x-ray pulses, with a frequency matching subharmonics of the cycling frequency of x-ray pulses. The microscale structure of the silicon mirror in terms of the curvature and the quality of crystallinity ensures a narrow angular spread of the Bragg reflection. With the discussion of factors determining the diffractive time window, this report showed our approaches to narrow down the time window to half a nanosecond. The short diffractive time window will allow us to select single x-ray pulse out of a train of pulses from synchrotron radiation facilities.
Our work demonstrates a MEMS based handheld dual-axis confocal microscope for cervical cancer screening. Imaging demonstration is performed with plant and animal tissue biopsies. The data is collected and displayed in real time with 2-5 Hz frame rates.
We demonstrate the use of electrostatically driven micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices to control and deliver synchrotron x-ray pulses at high repetition rates. Torsional MEMS micromirrors, rotating at duty cycles of 2 kHz and higher, were used to modulate grazing-incidence x rays, producing x-ray bunches shorter than 10 μs. We find that dynamic deformation of the oscillating micromirror is a limiting factor in the duration of the x-ray pulses produced, and we describe plans for reaching higher operating frequencies using mirrors designed for minimal deformation.
Several applications of optical micromirrors need synchronization of its mechanical oscillation with an external control
signal. Self-sustained oscillation of micromirrors is a prerequisite for achieving such synchronization. To suppress its
mechanical deformation these micromirrors are operated under atmospheric or controlled pressure environment.
Operation under this environment leads to increase in driving voltages to achieve required deflections. However,
significant parasitic crosstalk due to these high driving voltages presents a challenge for achieving their self-sustained
oscillations. In this paper, stable self-sustained oscillation of a 13.5kHz micromirror is achieved at atmospheric pressure
by actively suppressing its crosstalk. Frequency stability of 7.2ppm is obtained for this micromirror's self-sustained
oscillation at atmospheric pressure.
In this paper we present scanning micromirrors, actuated by self-aligned, bidirectional, vertical electrostatic combdrives, for dual-axes confocal microscopy. The fabrication process, which is based on Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) of Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers with two silicon device layers, requires only three lithography steps for one-dimensional scanners, while an additional two lithography steps must be performed to create two-dimensional scanners. Only front side processing is required and the two oxide layers of the double SOI wafers provide efficient and reliable etch stops. These features combined with the fact that the combs are self aligned, enable high-speed, high-resolution microscanners with stable and reliable operation as required for endoscopic implementations of confocal microscopes.
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