Lensfree microscopy on a cellphone

Derek Tseng, Onur Mudanyali, Cetin Oztoprak, Serhan O. Isikman, Ikbal Sencan, Oguzhan Yaglidere, Aydogan Ozcan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

467 Scopus citations

Abstract

We demonstrate lensfree digital microscopy on a cellphone. This compact and light-weight holographic microscope installed on a cellphone does not utilize any lenses, lasers or other bulky optical components and it may offer a cost-effective tool for telemedicine applications to address various global health challenges. Weighing ∼38 grams (<1.4 ounces), this lensfree imaging platform can be mechanically attached to the camera unit of a cellphone where the samples are loaded from the side, and are vertically illuminated by a simple light-emitting diode (LED). This incoherent LED light is then scattered from each micro-object to coherently interfere with the background light, creating the lensfree hologram of each object on the detector array of the cellphone. These holographic signatures captured by the cellphone permit reconstruction of microscopic images of the objects through rapid digital processing. We report the performance of this lensfree cellphone microscope by imaging various sized micro-particles, as well as red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and a waterborne parasite (Giardia lamblia).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1787-1792
Number of pages6
JournalLab on a Chip
Volume10
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010

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