Photonic Integrated Circuit for Endoscopic Imaging

Intro:

Endoscopyis a medical procedure that allows doctors to look inside the body without amajor surgery. Today, this is done using cameras and lenses mounted at the tipof a flexible tube called an endoscope. The diameter of these 'camera-on-tip'endoscopes typically ranges from a few millimeters to one centimeter. Whilethis size is small enough to navigate through many parts of the body, it limitsaccess to very narrow channels, such as tiny bronchioles. Larger endoscopesalso cause more discomfort for patients. Moreover, the imaging resolution ofcamera-on-tip endoscopes is constrained by lens aberrations and the camerapixel size. For these reasons, medical endoscopy would greatly benefit from athinner, less-invasive device with improved imaging resolution.

Recent research shows that multimode fiber (MMF) endoscopes candrastically reduce the tube size, down to 110 µm, and boost theimaging resolution till the diffraction limit. However, illumination wavefrontcontrol is necessary to compensate for the fiber's dispersion and enableimaging through it. A recent demonstration from our group shows that a photonicintegrated circuit (PIC) can perform the wavefront control to focus the lightthrough a multimode fiber, with the goal of MMF-based endoscopic imaging [1].

Nextresearch steps concern further development of the imaging system which uses aPIC for the illumination wavefront control in MMF-based endoscopy. Such novelimaging systems would leverage silicon photonicsto push the boundaries of endoscopy. The endoscopes could be as thin asa hair fiber, and thus, able to deliver high-resolution images from tinniestchannels in the body and have real-world impact.

Tasks:

• Literature study: Developing in-depth understanding of MMF endoscopy and relevant PICs
• Optical setup development: Adjusting our optical setup for imaging through an MMF
• Setup programming: Expanding our (python) code for controlling the setup and perform imaging
• Thermal management: Exploring long-term system thermal stability
• Performing imaging experiments (final goal)

Candidate profile:

• You have a strong interest in experimental work, including optical setup design and building;
• You are proactive and highly motivated to learn and develop new skills;
• Courses on photonics and programming experience are a strong plus;
• Given the international character of imec, a fluent knowledge of English is necessary

Work environment:

Thisinternship provides practical experience at imec Leuven (Belgium), aworld-renowned microelectronics and photonics research institute, whereinnovative scientific research is applied to address real-world challenges.Interns will have the opportunity to collaborate with imec professionals andaccess advanced laboratory facilities within an international setting.

References:

[1] https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.5c01814

Type of internship: Master internship, PhD internship

Duration: Up to 1 year

Required educational background: Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering, Physics, Biomedical engineering

Supervising scientist(s): For further information or for application, please contact Filip Milojkovic ([email protected]) and Niels Verellen ([email protected])

The reference code for this position is 2026-INT-021. Mention this reference code in your application.

Applications should include the following information:

• resume
• motivation
• current study

Incomplete applications will not be considered.