Analysis of experimental depolarizing Mueller matrices through a hybrid decomposition

A multiscale Mueller polarimetry module for a stereo zoom microscope

Mueller polarimetry is a quantitative polarized light imaging modality that is capable of label-free visualization of tissue pathology, does not require extensive sample preparation, and is suitable for wide-field tissue analysis. It holds promise for selected applications in biomedicine, but polarimetry systems are often constrained by limited end-user accessibility and/or long-imaging times. In order to address these needs, we designed a multiscale-polarimetry module that easily couples to a commercially available stereo zoom microscope. This paper describes the module design and provides initial polarimetry imaging results from a murine preclinical breast cancer model and human breast cancer samples. The resultant polarimetry module has variable resolution and field of view, is low-cost, and is simple to switch in or out of a commercial microscope. The module can reduce long imaging times by adopting the main imaging approach used in pathology: scanning at low resolution to identify regions of interest, then at high resolution to inspect the regions in detail. Preliminary results show how the system can aid in region of interest identification for pathology, but also highlight that more work is needed to understand how tissue structures of pathological interest appear in Mueller polarimetry images across varying spatial zoom scales.

Ultra-high-speed spectropolarimeter based on photoelastic modulator

Combined with the advantages of photoelastic modulator (PEM) ultra-high-speed modulation, this paper presents a method of ultra-high-speed spectropolarimeter based on PEM. The method provides the necessary measuring instruments for ultra-high-speed polarization spectroscopy. The main idea of this method is that an intensity modulator consisting of two retarders is placed before the PEM. The incident light under test goes through two retarders to the PEM. The interference signals are obtained by the PEM modulation. The different Stokes element interference signals are modulated by the PEM at different positions of the optical path difference. This method realizes the separation of Stokes element interference signals. The interference signals corresponding to each element are extracted, and the incident light Stokes element spectra can be obtained from the Fourier transforms of the interference signals. The modulation frequency of the PEM is high (tens to hundreds of kilohertz), so this method can realize ultra-high-speed full polarization spectroscopy. A prototype ultra-high-speed spectropolarimeter based on PEM was designed and tested. If the single-sided Fourier transformation is used, the single-sided interferogram scanning time is approximately 5 μs (i.e., the prototype is capable of scanning 20,000 interferograms per second). Polychromatic light polarization spectroscopy is measured by the prototype. The experimental results show that the average error of the prototype is less than 0.03.

Polarized light imaging in biomedicine: emerging Mueller matrix methodologies for bulk tissue assessment

Polarized light point measurements and wide-field imaging have been studied for many years in an effort to develop accurate and information-rich tissue diagnostic methods. However, the extensive depolarization of polarized light in thick biological tissues has limited the success of these investigations. Recently, advances in technology and conceptual understanding have led to a significant resurgence of research activity in the promising field of bulk tissue polarimetry. In particular, with the advent of improved measurement, analysis, and interpretation methods, including Mueller matrix decomposition, new diagnostic avenues, such as quantification of microstructural anisotropy in bulk tissues, have been enabled. Further, novel technologies have improved the speed and the accuracy of polarimetric instruments for ex vivo and in vivo diagnostics. In this paper, we review some of the recent progress in tissue polarimetry, provide illustrative application examples, and offer an outlook to the future of polarized light imaging in bulk biological tissues.