title: Maintaining polarization in polarimetric multiphoton microscopy.
abstract: Polarimetric measurements in multiphoton microscopy can reveal information about the local molecular order of a sample. However, the presence of a dichroic through which the excitation beam propagates will generally scramble its polarization. We propose a simple scheme whereby a second properly-oriented compensation dichroic is used to negate any alteration regardless of the wavelength and the initial polarization. We demonstrate how this robust and rapid approach simplifies polarimetric measurements in second-harmonic generation, two-photon excited fluorescence and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering. Illustration of the polarization maintaining strategy with the compensating dichroic oriented such that its s- and p-axes are interchanged with these of the primary dichroic.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ), Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bélanger
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ), Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.
authors.forename: Raphaël
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turcotte
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ), Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daradich
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ), Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.
authors.forename: Grégory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sadetsky
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ), Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gravel
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ), Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bachand
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ), Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.|Centre d'optique, photonique et laser (COPL),, Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: De Koninck
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ), Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada. daniel.cote@crulrg.ulaval.ca.|Centre d'optique, photonique et laser (COPL),, Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada. daniel.cote@crulrg.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Côté
mesh_terms: D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D004867:Equipment Design; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D010078:Oxazines
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D010078:Oxazines; D003094:Collagen; C044808:nile red
keywords: multiphoton microscopy; neurophotonic; neuroscience; polarimetric microscopy