In an article in Optics Express, we describe a simple practical application of our Deformable Phase Plate: a miniaturized fluorescence microscope, which can even be considered the "World's Smallest AO Microscope".

In this work we have combined our refractive Ultra-Thin Deformable Phase Plate with a Sensorless Wavefront Aberration Estimation algorithm and demonstrate diffraction-limited imaging of synthesized samples in a fully refractive AO microscope. Replacing the conventional deformable mirror with our DPP avoids beam folding and complex system redesign, yet conserves the higher-order aberration-correction capability.

A post by Nikon Instruments sharing the paper, with the instrument schematic: the beam path from laser through objective and relay lenses to the DPP and camera, the DPP top view with its 20 mm membrane and 9 mm clear aperture, and a photograph of the assembled microscope beside a coin for scale.

You can read the open access paper here:

Original article: "Fully refractive adaptive optics fluorescence microscope using an optofluidic wavefront modulator" https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.387734