Deep-penetration fluorescence imaging through dense yeast cells suspensions using Airy beams

We propose, to the best of our knowledge, a new method to image fluorescent objects through turbid media based on Airy beam scanning. This is achieved by using the non-diffractive nature of Airy beams, namely their ability to maintain their shape while penetrating through a highly scattering medium. We show that our technique can image fluorescent objects immersed in turbid media with higher resolution and signal to noise than confocal imaging. As proof of principle, we demonstrate imaging of 1 μm sized fluorescent beads through a dense suspension of yeast cells with an attenuation coefficient of 51 cm ⁻¹ at a depth of 90 μm. Finally, we demonstrate that our technique can also provide the depth of the imaged object without any additional sectioning.