SOFFLFM: Super-resolution optical fluctuation Fourier light-field microscopy

TL;DR

SOFFLFM enhances the resolution of Fourier light-field microscopy by integrating super-resolution techniques with higher-order cumulants analysis, enabling more detailed 3D imaging without scanning.

Contribution

This paper introduces SOFFLFM, a novel method combining super-resolution optical fluctuation analysis with Fourier light-field microscopy for improved 3D imaging resolution.

Findings

Resolution improved by more than sqrt(2) in lateral direction.

Axial resolution increased by over 2 times.

Simulation verified the theoretical resolution enhancement.

Abstract

Fourier light-field microscopy (FLFM) uses a micro-lens array (MLA) to segment the Fourier Plane of the microscopic objective lens to generate multiple two-dimensional perspective views, thereby reconstructing the three-dimensional(3D) structure of the sample using 3D deconvolution calculation without scanning. However, the resolution of FLFM is still limited by diffraction, and furthermore, dependent on the aperture division. In order to improve its resolution, a Super-resolution optical fluctuation Fourier light field microscopy (SOFFLFM) was proposed here, in which the Sofi method with ability of super-resolution was introduced into FLFM. SOFFLFM uses higher-order cumulants statistical analysis on an image sequence collected by FLFM, and then carries out 3D deconvolution calculation to reconstruct the 3D structure of the sample. Theoretical basis of SOFFLFM on improving resolution was explained and then verified with simulations. Simulation results demonstrated that SOFFLFM improved lateral and axial resolution by more than sqrt(2) and 2 times in the 2nd and 4th order accumulations, compared with that of FLFM.