Toward a miniature endomicroscope: pixelation-free and diffraction-limited imaging through a fiber bundle

A fiber bundle is widely used for endoscopic imaging due to its direct image delivery capability. However, there exists an inevitable pixelation artifact, which limits spatial resolution to the diameter of individual fibers. In this Letter, we present a method that can eliminate this artifact and achieve diffraction-limited spatial resolution. We exploited the binary control of a digital micromirror device to measure a transmission matrix of a fiber bundle and to subsequently control mode mixing among individual fibers. In doing so, we achieved a 22 kHz scanning rate of a diffraction-limited focused spot and obtained fluorescence endoscope imaging (58 μm × 58 μm) with near video-rate (10.3 Hz) acquisition. Our study lays a foundation for developing an ultrathin and high-resolution microendoscope.