Quantitative phase imaging through an ultra-thin lensless fiber endoscope

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) is a label-free technique providing both morphology and quantitative biophysical information in biomedicine. This paper demonstrates a computational lensless microendoscope using an ultra-thin bare multi-core fiber (MCF) to perform QPI with microscale lateral resolution and nanoscale axial sensitivity. The incident complex light field is reconstructed from the far-field speckle pattern, enabling digital refocusing in multi-layer samples. The method's accuracy is validated by imaging phase targets and hydrogel beads, and 3D imaging of human cancer cells is achieved, promising clinical applications.

Jiawei Sun, Jiachen Wu, Song Wu, Ruchi Goswami, Salvatore Girardo, Liangcai Cao, Jochen Guck, Nektarios Koukourakis, Juergen W. Czarske