Graded Index (GRIN) rod microlenses are increasingly employed in the assembly of optical probes for microendoscopy applications. Confocal, two–photon and optical coherence tomography (OCT) based on GRIN optical probes permit in–vivo imaging with penetration depths into tissue up to the centimeter range. However, insertion of the probe can be complicated by the need of several alignment and focusing mechanisms along the optical path. Furthermore, resolution values are generally not limited by diffraction, but rather by optical aberrations within the endoscope probe and feeding optics. Here we describe a multiphoton confocal fluorescence imaging system equipped with a compact objective that incorporates a GRIN probe and requires no adjustment mechanisms. We minimized the effects of aberrations with optical compensation provided by a low–order electrostatic membrane mirror (EMM) inserted in the optical path of the confocal architecture, resulting in greatly enhanced image quality.
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