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There is an ongoing technological revolution in the field of biomedical instruments. Consequently, high performance healthcare devices have led to remarkable economic developments in the medical hardware industry. Until now, nearly all optical bio-imaging systems are based on the 2-dimensional imaging chip architecture. In fact, recent developments in digital micromirror devices (DMDs) are gradually making their way from conventional optical projection displays into biomedical instruments. As an ultrahigh-speed spatial light modulator, the DMD may offer a range of new applications including real-time biomedical sensing or imaging, as well as orientation tracking and targeted screening. Given its short history, the use of DMD in biomedical and healthcare instruments has emerged only within the past decade. In this paper, we first provide an overview by summarizing all reported cases found in the literature. We then critically analyze the general pros and cons of using DMD, specifically in terms of response speed, stability, accuracy, repeatability, robustness, and degree of automation, in relation to the performance outcome of the designated instrument. Particularly, we shall focus our discussion on the use of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS)-based devices in a set of representative instruments including the surface plasmon resonance biosensor, optical microscopes, Raman spectrometers, ophthalmoscopes, and the micro stereolithographic system. Finally, the prospects of using the DMD approach in biomedical or healthcare systems and possible next generation DMD-based biomedical devices are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrafast spectrum programmable femtosecond laser may enhance the performance of a wide variety of scientific applications, e.g., multi-photon imaging. In this paper, we report a digital micromirror device (DMD)-based ultrafast pulse shaper, i.e., DUPS, for femtosecond laser arbitrary amplitude shaping — the first time a programmable binary device reported to shape the amplitudes of ultrafast pulses spectrum at up to 32 kHz rate over a broad wavelength range. The DUPS is highly efficient, compact, and low cost based on the use of a DMD in combination with a transmission grating. Spatial and temporal dispersion introduced by the DUPS is compensated by a quasi-4-f setup and a grating pair, respectively. Femtosecond pulses with arbitrary spectrum shapes, including rectangular, sawtooth, triangular, double-pulse, and exponential profile, have been demonstrated in our experiments. A feedback operation process is implemented in the DUPS to ensure a robust and repeatable shaping process. The total efficiency of the DUPS for amplitude shaping is measured to be 27%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have proposed an approach for rapid generation of perfect vortex beam without side lobes through a digital micromirror device (DMD). Employing this method, the amplitude and phase of far field can be controlled indirectly by changing the rotation state of each unit on the DMD. The perfect vortex beams of equal rings diameter independent of their topological charges are generated commendably and the side lobes are avoided. Moreover, we have demonstrated rapid switching among the generated orbital angular momentum modes at the speed of 10 kHz, which is much faster than that of the usual method realized by spatial light modulators (SLMs). The proposed method is very beneficial for the optical communication and trapping or manipulating the small particle based on orbital angular momentum modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]