Linearly modulated multi-focal diffractive lens 1 for multi-sheet excitation of flow driven samples 2 in a light-sheet fluorescence microscope

Light sheet fluorescence microscope with single light sheet illumination enables rapid 3D imaging of living cells. In this paper we show the design, fabrication and characterization of a diffractive optical element producing several light sheets along a 45$^\circ$ inclined tube. The element, which is based on a multi-focal diffractive lens and a linear grating, generates five thin light sheets with equal intensities when combined with a refractive cylindrical lens. The generated uniform light sheets can be applied for the scanning of samples in tubes enabling flow-driven 3D imaging

Micro-diffractive optical element arrays for beam shaping

We describe the design of Fourier type array generators and beam shapers as periodic configurations of refractive-diffractive optical elements in microscale to provide specific beam shaping and imaging functionaliies. We investigate how the addition of micro-nanostructures to regular microstructure arrays enables new degrees of freedom for the design of micro-optical systems, in combination with adapted fabrication techniques yields a better optical performance and leads to enhancement of the array concept, uniformity and efficiency

Linearly modulated multi-focal diffractive lens for multi-sheet excitation of flow-driven samples in a light-sheet fluorescence microscope

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) with single light-sheet illumination enables rapid 3Dimaging of living cells. In this paper we show the design, fabrication and characterization of a diffractive optical element producing several light sheets along an inclined tube for applications in flow-driven imaging. The element, which is based on a multi-focal Fresnel zone plate and a linear grating, generates in combination with a refractive cylindrical lens five thin light sheets of equal intensity