title: Sub-40 fs, 1060-nm Yb-fiber laser enhances penetration depth in nonlinear optical microscopy of human skin.
abstract: Advancing the practical utility of nonlinear optical microscopy requires continued improvement in imaging depth and contrast. We evaluated second-harmonic generation (SHG) and third-harmonic generation images from ex vivo human skin and showed that a sub-40 fs, 1060-nm Yb-fiber laser can enhance SHG penetration depth by up to 80% compared to a >100 fs, 800 nm Ti:sapphire source. These results demonstrate the potential of fiber-based laser systems to address a key performance limitation related to nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM) technology while providing a low-barrier-to-access alternative to Ti:sapphire sources that could help accelerate the movement of NLOM into clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Irvine, Beckman Laser Institute, Laser Microbeam and Medical Program, 1002 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, California 92612, United States.
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balu
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, Department of Chemistry, 578 South Shaw Lane, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States.
authors.forename: Ilyas
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saytashev
authors.affiliation: University of California, Irvine, Beckman Laser Institute, Laser Microbeam and Medical Program, 1002 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, California 92612, United States.
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, Department of Chemistry, 578 South Shaw Lane, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dantus
authors.affiliation: University of California, Irvine, Beckman Laser Institute, Laser Microbeam and Medical Program, 1002 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, California 92612, United States.
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tromberg
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D004817:Epidermis / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004867:Equipment Design; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007834:Lasers; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D055100:Optical Fibers; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D012867:Skin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D015018:Ytterbium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D015018:Ytterbium