Structural characterization of plants using non-contact polarized photoacoustic microscopy

The microstructure of plants plays a critical role in determining their physiological functions and quality stability. However, conventional imaging methods are often limited by complex sample preparation, invasive procedures, and insufficient spatial resolution. Here, we present a non-contact polarized photoacoustic microscopy (NCPPAM) that employs an all-optical configuration combining a polarization-modulated pulsed excitation beam with a co-focused continuous-wave detection beam, enabling non-invasive, high-resolution imaging of plant tissues and extraction of anisotropic features. By analyzing photoacoustic signal intensity, quantifying the degree of anisotropy (DOA), and assessing image entropy, we differentiated structural characteristics across plant species and moisture states within the same species. Our work validates the feasibility and technical advantages of non-contact polarized photoacoustic microscopy in botanical research, providing a novel, noninvasive optical tool for elucidating plant microstructure and physiological status.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  SPIE/COS Photonics Asia

• Publication date

  2025-11-21

• Fields of study

  Biology, Materials Science, Engineering, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1117/12.3074736
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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