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Microscopes are an integral part of most biomedical research. Over the last several years, microscopy has been utilized with wavelengths of light beyond the visible spectrum in the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR). SWIR microscopy provides several advantages over visible and near-infrared (NIR) microscopy, including lack of (or minimal) autofluorescence, low light absorption by blood and tissues, and reduced scattering. However, extending the spectral range of microscopic instruments from the visible to the SWIR is challenging because of optical equipment such as sensors and other components. Digital image sensors typically provide good sensitivity but only in a limited spectral range. They can be used for imaging in the visible or infrared range. Consequently, microscopes intended to cover the entire spectral range from the visible to SWIR typically require multiple detectors: one for visible light and one for infrared light. In addition, microscope objectives are limited since they usually require compensation for chromatic aberrations and other imaging distortions. As a result, these instruments can be difficult to use, can limit the data acquisition rate during experiments, and are not ideally suited for automation. The data (which are collected from the different objectives and image sensors, likely of varying sizes and resolutions) must be digitally aligned and resampled if information from both the visible and SWIR must be combined. Hence, there is a need for a single instrument that can be used to image microscopic objects and that covers the spectral range from the visible to the SWIR, without the mentioned limitations.
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