• 052549 - NANOSCOPY AND OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHY

Deepen your knowledge of new techniques for optical imaging from the micro/nano-scale to the macroscopic level, understanding the physical basis, discussing instrumental implementations and presenting examples of applications. The project session will improve the experimental, modelling, team working and soft-skill competences required in research activity.

The key aim is to increase understanding on the application of photonics approaches to several imaging processes with particular emphasis on biological imaging both at the nanoscale (3D microscopy) up to optical tomography for clinical diagnostics. Further, methods related to wave physics, light-matter interaction, inverse problems will be exploited. The student will be able to apply this knowledge to different scenarios. Further, the authonomous study on scientific literature as well as the project activities will provide learning skills and soft skills.

1. Diffuse Optical Tomography

• Brief overview on diffuse optics, time-resolved techniques, frequency-resolved techniques
• Theoretical models of photon migration
• photon density waves
• Diffuse Optical Tomography in the linear regime under Born approximation
• Reconstruction under non-linear regime
• Applications and new perspectives

2. Nanoscopy

• Recalls on far-field microscopy techniques, spatial resolution.
• diffraction limit is overcome by saturable transitions (RESOLFT): physical principles.
• possible implementations: STED, GSD, SPEM
• stochastic methods for optical nanoscopy: physical principles.
• possible implementations: PALM, STORM
• compare RESOLFT techniques and stochastic techniques
• Examples of application for optical nanoscopy

Project

There will be a project activity involving all students divided into groups. This activity foresee a laboratory session on advanced research instrumentation developed at the Department of Physics followed by a modelling and analysis session based on Matlab.

There are no binding prerequisites. The course on "Ottica Biomedica" provides some good basis for the section on Diffuse Optical Tomography, although these are not strictly needed.

The final assessment will be based on a written test which encompasses both lecture and project activities

A collection of scientific papers will be provided at the starting of the course via the BEEP channel