Sub-diffraction-limit imaging using mode multiplexing

Pixel-by-pixel processed fluorescence difference microscopy is experimentally demonstrated by multiplexing excitation laser beams with Gaussian and donut spot shapes and then demultiplexing the fluorescent signals using lock-in amplifiers. With this scheme, a fixed sample of fluorescent spheres and a slice of mouse brain tissue are imaged with resolutions that exceed the diffraction limit. Compared to previously reported subtraction imaging techniques, this pixel-by-pixel scan can be applied to improve the resolution of a moving sample without introducing subtraction errors. The synchronized signal detection feature makes this method extendible to various applications.