title: Fluorescence lifetime imaging with a low-repetition-rate passively mode-locked diode-pumped Nd:YVO4 oscillator.
abstract: We report a wide-field fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope based on a low-repetition-rate (3.7-MHz) passively mode-locked diode-pumped laser source. This inexpensive and compact laser source operating in the visible and UV range can excite a wide range of fluorophores of biological interest. We demonstrate that the power of this laser source is highly sufficient for studying biological systems with low quantum yields (autofluorescence of tissues and stained living cells). The maximum measurable lifetime is also strongly increased with this laser source, as fluorescence intensity measurement can occur 250 ns after the excitation pulse.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Photophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Propre de Recherche 3361, Centre Universitaire, Bâtiment 210, Orsay 91405, France. sandrine.fort@ppm.u-psud.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lévêque-Fort
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forget
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Balembois
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Georges
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology*; D012666:Semiconductors; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology*