Nano-Optic Endoscope for Precision Imaging
Earlier this year, optical engineers at Harvard published an article in Nature Nanotechnology about their development of metalenses—i.e. lenses that rely on thin, transparent quartz substrates with millions of tiny titanium dioxide pillars that can focus light into images that are far sharper than glass lenses. Following up with this material, the Harvard engineers have now created an endoscope with a metalens which, among other things, resolves a problem with polarized light. “Several tissues—such as smooth muscle, collagen (either innate or in fibrosis), and blood vessels—have constituent structures highly organized in one particular direction. Polarization-sensitive imaging can differentiate these structures from surrounding tissue by detecting their innate birefringence and optic axis.” MORE
Image Credit: Harvard University/Massachusetts General Hospital