title: Nonlinear optical microscopy at wavelengths exceeding 1.4 microm using a synchronously pumped femtosecond-pulsed optical parametric oscillator.
abstract: A singly resonant femtosecond-pulsed synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator (SPOPO) is reported that provides a wavelength-tunable alternative to the Cr:forsterite source for nonlinear microscopy applications. Periodically poled lithium niobate within an external resonator was synchronously pumped by a commercial fs-pulsed Nd:YLF laser source to provide fs-pulsed continuously tunable radiation from 1.45 to 1.63 microm. Third harmonic generation (THG) microscopy and three-photon laser scanning fluorescence microscopy (3PLSM) of a range of samples were subsequently performed using this long-wavelength SPOPO source. The ability to tune the excitation wavelength delivered to the sample significantly improved the efficiency of both the 3PLSM and THG imaging experiments.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biophotonics, Strathclyde Institute for Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 27 Taylor Street, Glasgow, G4 0NR, UK. g.mcconnell@strath.ac.uk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McConnell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007834:Lasers; D051379:Mice; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D036641:Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen