Brain functional imaging

There are four important factors when considering imaging: contrast, resolution, speed, and depth. We work together with world leading brain scientist to develop new technologies to push the boundaries. The aim is to understand how brain works through functional (high-speed) and structural (high-resolution) microscopy. 

Novel Contrast (AI, SRS, iSCAT, 3PF)

Y.-T. Hsieh, K.-C. Jhan, J.-C. Lee, G.-J. Huang, C.-L. Chung, W.-C. Chen, T.-C. Chang, B.-C. Chen, M.-K. Pan*, S.-C. Wu*, and S.-W. Chu*, “TAG-SPARK: Empowering High-Speed Volumetric Imaging with Deep Learning and Spatial Redundancy” Adv. Sci. 11, 2405293 (2024). 

G.-J. Huang, C.-W. Li, P.-Y. Lee, J.-X. Su, K.-C. Chao, L.-A. Chu, A.-S. Chiang, J.-X. Cheng, B.-H. Chen, C.-H. Lu, S.-W. Chu*, and S.-D. Yang,* “Electronic Preresonance Stimulated Raman Scattering Spectromicroscopy Using Multiple-Plate Continuum”, J. Phys. Chem. B 127, 6896-6902 (2023) FutureTech Award 未來科技獎 2023

G.-J. Huang, P.-C. Lai, M.-W. Shen, J.-X. Su, J. Y. Guo, K.-C. Chao, P. Lin, J.-X. Cheng, L.-A. Chu, A.-S. Chiang, B.-H. Chen, C.-H. Lu, S.-W. Chu*, and S.-D. Yang,* “Towards Stimulated Raman Scattering Spectro-Microscopy Across the Entire Raman Active Region Using Multiple-plate Continuum”, Opt. Express 30, 38975-38983 (2022)

Y.-T. Hsiao, T.-Y. Wu, B.-K. Wu, S.-W. Chu, and C.-L. Hsieh*, “Spinning disk interferometric scattering confocal microscopy captures millisecond timescale dynamics of living cells” Opt. Express, 30, 45233-45245 (2022).

K.-J. Hsu, Y.-Y. Lin, A.-S. Chiang, S.-W. Chu*, “Optical properties of adult Drosophila brains in one-, two-, and three-photon microscopy,” Biomed. Opt. Exp. 10, 1627-1637 (2019).

Speed + depth

C.-S. Wang, X. Lai, P.-T. Yeh, P.-C. Liao, R. Kitamura, S.-K. Chen, Y. Liu, M. Cui, S.-W. Chu*, “Multiphoton GRIN-Lens Microendoscopy for Living Brains” Laser Photon. Rev., Early View published online, 25 October 2025

P.-T. Yeh, K.-C. Jhan, E.-P. Chua, W.-C. Chen, S.-W. Chu, S.-C. Wu, S.-K. Chen*, “Discrete photoentrainment of mammalian central clock is regulated by bi-stable dynamic network in the suprachiasmatic nucleus” Nat. Comm. 16, 3331 (2025).

C.-L. Chung, T. Furieri, J.-Y. Lin, J.-C. Lee, Y.-F. Chen, M.-K. Pan, S. Bonora*, and S.-W. Chu*, ”Plug-and-play adaptive optics for two photon high-speed volumetric imaging,” JPhys Photonics 4, 024003 (2022) invited by special issue of “Focus on Ultrasound-Based Systems for Light Control”, 

Y.-F. Chien, J.-Y. Lin, P.-T. Yeh, K.-J. Hsu, Y.-H. Tsai, S.-K. Chen*, and S.-W. Chu*, “Dual GRIN lens two-photon endoscopy for high-speed volumetric and deep brain imaging” Biomed. Opt. Exp., 12, 162-172 (2021).

Resolution + depth 

Y.-H. Lin, L.-W. Wang, Y.-H. Chen, Y.-C. Chan, S.-H. Hu, S.-Y. Wu, C.-S. Chiang, G.-J. Huang, S.-D. Yang, S.-W. Chu, K.-C. Wang, C.-H. Lin, P.-H. Huang, H.-J. Cheng, B.-C. Chen*, L.-A. Chu*, “Revealing intact neuronal circuitry in centimeter-sized formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain” eLife 13, RP93212 (2024) 

H.-Y. Lin, L.-A. Chu, H. Yang, K.-J. Hsu, Y.-Y. Lin, K.-H. Lin, S.-W. Chu*, A.- S. Chiang, “Imaging Through the Whole Brain of Drosophila at λ/20 Super-Resolution,” iScience 14, 164-170 (2019).

Nonlinear metaphotonics for 

all-optical switch and super-resolution

Study of nonlinear response in plasmonic or semiconductor nanostructures

S. Shinkai, K. Nishida, T.-H. Yen, S.-W. Chu*, and J. Takahara* “All-optical transmission control via degenerate quadrupole modes in silicon metasurfaces” Opt. Lett. 50, 4878 (2025)

K. Nishida, H.-Y. Cheng, M. Petrov, K.-P. Chen, J. Takahara, X. Li, K.-H. Lin, and S.-W. Chu*, “All-optical control of semiconductor nanostructure scattering/absorption via photothermal effect [invited]” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 41, D61 (2024)

M. P. Vikram, K. Nishida, C.-H. Li, D. Riabov, O. Pashina, Y.-L. Tang, S. V. Makarov, J. Takahara, M. I. Petrov*, and S.-W. Chu* “Photo-thermo-optical modulation of Raman scattering from Mie-resonant silicon nanostructures” Nanophoton. 13, 3581–3589 (2024)

K. Nishida, P.-H. Tseng, Y.-C. Chen, P.-H. Wu, C.-Y. Yang, J.-H. Yang, W.-R. Chen, O. Pashina, M. Petrov, K.-P. Chen,* and S.-W. Chu*, ”Optical bistability in nanosilicon with record low Q-factor” Nano Lett. 23, 11727 (2023)

Y.-L. Tang, T.-H. Yen, K. Nishida, C.-H. Li, Y.-C. Chen, T. Zhang, C.-K. Pai, K.-P. Chen, X. Li*, J. Takahara*, and S.-W. Chu*, “Multipole engineering by displacement resonance: a new degree of freedom of Mie resonance” Nat. Comm. 14, 7213 (2023) NTU/Osaka U press release 

Super-resolution microscopy based on nonlinear scattering

Y.-A. Chen, T.-H. Yen, C.-Y. Yang, J.-J. Chen, C.‐W. Chang, K. Nishida*, and S.-W. Chu*, “Super-resolution imaging of resonance modes in semiconductor nanowires by detecting photothermal nonlinear scattering” Nanophotonics 14, 4565 (2025)

Y. Che, T. Zhang, X. Liu, D. Hu, S. Song, Y. Cai, Y. Cao, J. Zhang, S.-W. Chu, and X. Li, “Nanophotonic inspection of deep-subwavelength integrated optoelectronic chips.” Sci. Adv. 11, eadr8427 (2025)

X. Li, G.-J. Huang, and S.-W. Chu*, “The rise of Mie-tronics-based nonlinear scattering imaging” Laser Photon. Rev., 2200029 (2023)