Full-aperture extended-depth oblique plane microscopy through dynamic remote focusing

Abstract: Oblique plane microscopy is a method enabling light-sheet fluorescence imaging through a single microscope objective lens by focusing on a tilted plane within the sample. To focus the fluorescence emitted by the oblique plane on a camera, the light is imaged through a pair of remote objective lenses, facing each other at an angle. The aperture mismatch resulting from this configuration limits the effective numerical aperture of the system, reducing image resolution and signal intensity. This manuscript introduces an alternative method to capture the oblique plane on the camera. Instead of relying on angled objective lenses, an electrically tunable lens is employed. This lens adjusts the focal plane of the microscope synchronously with the rolling shutter of a scientific CMOS camera. In this configuration the entire aperture of the objective is effectively employed, increasing the resolution of the system. Moreover, a variety of objective lenses can be employed, enabling the acquisition of wider axial fields of view compared to conventional oblique plane microscopy.