Enhanced spectral lightfield fusion microscopy via deep computational optics for whole-slide pathology

Abstract

Lensfree on-chip microscopy, which harnesses holography principles to capture interferometric light-field encodings without the need of lenses, is an emerging microscopy modality with widespread interest given the large field-of-view (FOV) compared to lens-based microscopy systems. In particular, there is a growing interest on the development of high-quality lensfree on-chip color microscopy. In this study, we propose a multi-laser spectral lightfield fusion microscopy using deep computational optics for achieving lensfree on-chip color microscopy. We will demonstrate that leveraging deep computational optics can enable imaging resolution beyond the diffraction limit without the use of any complex hardware-based super-resolution techniques, such as aperture scanning. The capabilities of the microscope are examined for whole-slide pathology. The superior imaging resolution of the instrument is demonstrated by imaging of a series of biological specimens demonstrating the true color imaging capability of the instrument while showcasing the large FOV of the instrument.