Sub-Diffraction Photoacoustic Microscopy Enabled by a Novel Phase-Shifted Excitation Strategy: A Numerical Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This numerical simulation study introduces a novel phase-shifted Gaussian and donut beam excitation strategy for frequency-domain photoacoustic microscopy, capable of achieving optical sub-diffraction-limited lateral resolution. We demonstrate that the spatial overlapping of Gaussian and donut beams with π-radian phase-shifted intensity modulation may confine the effective photoacoustic excitation region, substantially reducing the beam-waist-normalized full width at half maximum value from 1.177 to 0.828 units. This effect corresponds to a ~1.42-fold lateral resolution enhancement compared with conventional focused Gaussian beam excitation. Furthermore, the influence of the optical power ratio between the beams was systematically analyzed, revealing an optimal value of 1.16, balancing excitation confinement and side-lobe suppression. Within this framework, the presented simulation results establish a basis for the experimental realization of phase-shifted dual-beam excitation photoacoustic microscopy systems, with a potential impact on high-resolution biomedical imaging of subcellular and microvascular structures using low-cost continuous-wave optical sources such as laser diodes.
Source: Sensors
DOI: 10.3390/s26020498
Author: George J. Tserevelakis
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W7122829588