Sidelobe-free deterministic 3D nanoscopy with λ/33 axial resolution

Binxiong Pan; Baoju Wang; Yue Ni; Qi Zhao; Yuqi Wang; Yuyan Cai; Qiuqiang Zhan

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-01833-x

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Sidelobe-free deterministic 3D nanoscopy with λ/33 axial resolution

Original Articles

- Sidelobe-free deterministic 3D nanoscopy with λ/33 axial resolution
- Light: Science & Applications Vol. 14, Issue 6, Pages: 1687-1699(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research & Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
  2.National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
  3.MOE Key Laboratory & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Author bio：
  
  Qiuqiang Zhan (zhanqiuqiang@m.scnu.edu.cn)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-01833-x
  CLC：
- Received：08 October 2024，
  
  Revised：11 March 2025，
  
  Accepted：14 March 2025，
  
  Published Online：21 April 2025，
  
  Published：30 June 2025
- Accepted：
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Pan, B. X. et al. Sidelobe-free deterministic 3D nanoscopy with λ/33 axial resolution. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 1687-1699 (2025).
DOI：

Pan, B. X. et al. Sidelobe-free deterministic 3D nanoscopy with λ/33 axial resolution. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 1687-1699 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01833-x.

摘要

Abstract

Deterministic three-dimensional (3D) super-resolution microscopy can achieve light-matter interaction in a small volume

but usually with the axial extension distinctly more elongated than the lateral one. The isoSTED method combining two opposing objectives and multiple laser beams can offer high axial extension at λ/12 level

but at the cost of optical system complexity and inherent sidelobes. The high-order nonlinear effect by multiphoton excitation would benefit to achieve a sub-diffraction resolution as well as to suppress the sidelobes. Herein

to achieve an easy-to-use

sidelobe-free deterministic 3D nanoscopy with high axial resolution

we developed a purely physical deterministic strategy (UNEx-4Pi) by fusion of ultrahighly nonlinear excitation (UNEx) of photon avalanching nanoparticles and mirror-based bifocal vector field modulation (4Pi). The theoretical studies of UNEx-4Pi concept showed that the main peak of fluorescence spot became sharper and its large sidelobe height was suppressed with the increasing optical nonlinearity. In addition

the simplicity and robustness of UNEx-4Pi system were demonstrated utilizing a mirror-assisted single-objective bifocal self-interference strategy. Experimentally

UNEx-4Pi realized an extremely constringent focal spot without sidelobes observed

achieving an axial resolution up to λ/33 (26 nm) using one low-power CW beam. We also demonstrated the super-resolution ability of the UNEx-4Pi scheme to bioimaging and nuclear envelope of BSC-1 cells were stained and imaged at an axial resolution of 32 nm. The proposed UNEx-4Pi method will pave the way for achieving light-matter interaction in a highly confined space

thereby advancing cutting-edge technologies like deterministic super-resolution sensing

imaging

lithography

and data storage.

关键词

Keywords

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