Behold the "Scandreas", a trivially-aligned light-efficient alternative to lens-galvo-lens scanning!
Invented by Andreas Bodén @Bodeeen1 in @IlariaTesta4's lab, with assistance from @andreavolpato_ (and me!)
Video by @Kayley_Hake
Cite this tweet: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo…
Invented by Andreas Bodén @Bodeeen1 in @IlariaTesta4's lab, with assistance from @andreavolpato_ (and me!)
Video by @Kayley_Hake
Cite this tweet: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo…
Andreas, Andrea and I were discussing Snoutscope alignment, and I was complaining about the scan unit: it's hard to align the galvo, and the scan lenses lose more light than we'd like. (Right, @DougPShepherd?)
Andreas asked my favorite question:
"Why don't you just...?"
Andreas asked my favorite question:
"Why don't you just...?"
Andreas sketched a galvo-mirror-mirror design, arguing that the output beam scans laterally without changing direction, just like a lens-galvo-lens system...
...but ditching the scan lenses reduces photon loss by an order of magnitude!
AND alignment tolerances go from μm to mm!
...but ditching the scan lenses reduces photon loss by an order of magnitude!
AND alignment tolerances go from μm to mm!
You need a large (slow) galvo, but even a sluggish 50 Hz galvo would yield a blazing-fast 100 volumes-per-second Snoutscope.
So I rushed home to prototype! I used stock @Thorlabs parts, substituting a 2" mirror for the galvo that I don't have yet.
So I rushed home to prototype! I used stock @Thorlabs parts, substituting a 2" mirror for the galvo that I don't have yet.
With axial path length <400 mm, it fits between tube lens 1 and 2, so in addition to more photons, cheaper parts and relaxed alignment, it also folds up the longest part of the path, replacing box "B" in the Snoutscope. Use the right magnification though!
andrewgyork.github.io/high_na_single…
andrewgyork.github.io/high_na_single…
Alignment protocol:
Center your input beam on the galvo, and tilt the galvo until it almost clips.
Use the far edges of your two mirrors to catch and return the reflected beam to the far edge of the galvo.
Optionally, tune mirror positions and repeat to improve FOV.
Center your input beam on the galvo, and tilt the galvo until it almost clips.
Use the far edges of your two mirrors to catch and return the reflected beam to the far edge of the galvo.
Optionally, tune mirror positions and repeat to improve FOV.
Now, I need your help, Snouty family. Where can we get flat, fast, big galvos? Ideally, 50 mm. Tag helpful folks, please.
@RetoPaul @kD3AN @IlariaTesta4 @DougPShepherd @Bin_YANG_Optics @loicaroyer @Maurice_Y_Lee @DrDonnaWhelan @adam_k_glaser @gailmcconnell @jsdaniel02
@RetoPaul @kD3AN @IlariaTesta4 @DougPShepherd @Bin_YANG_Optics @loicaroyer @Maurice_Y_Lee @DrDonnaWhelan @adam_k_glaser @gailmcconnell @jsdaniel02
@RetoPaul @kD3AN @IlariaTesta4 @DougPShepherd @Bin_YANG_Optics @loicaroyer @Maurice_Y_Lee @DrDonnaWhelan @adam_k_glaser @gailmcconnell @jsdaniel02 PS: peer review and reproduction of results in a matter of hours, thanks to @Maurice_Y_Lee!
@RetoPaul @kD3AN @IlariaTesta4 @DougPShepherd @Bin_YANG_Optics @loicaroyer @Maurice_Y_Lee @DrDonnaWhelan @adam_k_glaser @gailmcconnell @jsdaniel02 Further peer review from @OptoManishK inspired me to do some animations and calculations. The relevant Python simulation code is now uploaded to the Zenodo repository behind the DOI in the first tweet.
