Wavefront-sensorless adaptive optics with a laser-free spinning disk confocal microscope

Abstract

Adaptive optics is being applied widely to a range of microscopies in order to improve imaging quality in the presence of specimen-induced aberrations. We present here the first implementation of wavefront-sensorless adaptive optics for a laser-free, aperture correlation, spinning disk microscope. This widefield method provides confocal-like optical sectioning through use of a patterned disk in the illumination and detection paths. Like other high-resolution microscopes, its operation is compromised by aberrations due to refractive index mismatch and variations within the specimen. Correction of such aberrations shows improved signal level, contrast and resolution.