title: Structured line illumination Raman microscopy.
abstract: In the last couple of decades, the spatial resolution in optical microscopy has increased to unprecedented levels by exploiting the fluorescence properties of the probe. At about the same time, Raman imaging techniques have emerged as a way to image inherent chemical information in a sample without using fluorescent probes. However, in many applications, the achievable resolution is limited to about half the wavelength of excitation light. Here we report the use of structured illumination to increase the spatial resolution of label-free spontaneous Raman microscopy, generating highly detailed spatial contrast from the ensemble of molecular information in the sample. Using structured line illumination in slit-scanning Raman microscopy, we demonstrate a marked improvement in spatial resolution and show the applicability to a range of samples, including both biological and inorganic chemical component mapping. This technique is expected to contribute towards greater understanding of chemical component distributions in organic and inorganic materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Kozue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Almar F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Palonpon
authors.affiliation: Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Nicholas I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Liang-da
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.|Interdisciplinary Program for Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.|iPS Cell-based Research Project on Brain Neuropharmacology and Toxicology, Graduate school of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.|Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6548-4016
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawata
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujita