Super-resolution enabled widefield quantum diamond microscopy

TL;DR

This paper introduces a super-resolution technique for widefield quantum diamond microscopy using digital micromirror device structured illumination, significantly improving resolution, reducing photodamage, and enabling detailed quantum sensing in biomedical applications.

Contribution

It develops a DMD-based super-resolution WQDM that enhances spatial resolution and reduces phototoxicity, expanding the practical capabilities of quantum sensing microscopy.

Findings

Demonstrated super-resolved imaging of nanodiamonds in cells.

Mitigated phototoxicity during imaging.

Achieved distinguishable imaging of individual nanodiamonds.

Abstract

Widefield quantum diamond microscopy (WQDM) based on Kohler-illumination has been widely adopted in the field of quantum sensing, however, practical applications are still limited by issues such as unavoidable photodamage and unsatisfied spatial-resolution. Here, we design and develop a super-resolution enabled WQDM using a digital micromirror device (DMD)-based structured illumination microscopy. With the rapidly programmable illumination patterns, we have firstly demonstrated how to mitigate phototoxicity when imaging nanodiamonds in cell samples. As a showcase, we have performed the super-resolved quantum sensing measurements of two individual nanodiamonds not even distinguishable with conventional WQDM. The DMD-powered WQDM presents not only excellent compatibility with quantum sensing solutions, but also strong advantages in high imaging speed, high resolution, low phototoxicity, and enhanced signal-to-background ratio, making it a competent tool to for applications in demanding fields such as biomedical science.