Noran Instruments, Inc.

Thermo Noran, Inc.

Ahmed Bouzid

James F Aeschbach

In laser scanning microscope systems using short pulsed laser sources incorporating an acousto-optical deflector, compensation is provided for spatial dispersion introduced by the deflector. Spatial dispersion of short pulses, such as those provided by a laser utilized in two photon fluorescence microscopy, occurs due to the higher and lower wavelength components in the pulsed laser beam as the beam is passed through an acousto-optical deflector or other similar diffractive element. A dispersive prism is mounted adjacent to the exit face of the acousto-optical deflector to spatially recombine the components of the pulse. A mirror may be mounted adjacent to the input face of the acousto-optical deflector and adjusted to adjust the angle of incidence of the beam on the input face of the deflector to match the Bragg condition at the center wavelength and so that both sides of the spectrum of the pulses are somewhat Bragg-mismatched and attenuated.

Laser scanning fluorescence microscopy with compensation for spatial dispersion of fast laser pulses

Wavelength selection apparatus for use in various applications such as spectrometry, the demultiplexing/multiplexing of multiline laser beams, and so forth, includes an input prism and an output prism aligned along an optical axis, and at least one side mirror. A second side mirror spaced from the first side mirror on the opposite side of the optical axis may be provided, as well as end mirrors adjacent to the input and output prisms. An incoming beam incident upon the input prism is refracted so as to deflect and angularly disperse the various wavelengths present in the input beam, with the dispersing beam reflected from the first side mirror either directly to the output prism or with intermediate reflections from the second side mirror and the end mirrors before impinging upon the output prism. The output prism matches the input prism and deflects and recollimates the dispersed wavelengths to provide parallel output beams of different wavelengths spaced from one another. Selection of a desired wavelength in the output beam may be obtained by moving the input and output prisms with respect to each other axially until the desired output beam is moved to a position in which it passes through an aperture.

Wavelength selection, multiplexing and demultiplexing method and

Flash photolysis is carried out in a microscope imaging system while maintaining continuous and superimposed imaging of the target area to which the flash is directed as well as its surroundings. In scanning imaging systems an excitation optical coupler receives the flash excitation beam and directs it onto an optical path through an aperture spatial filter to a main optical coupler, which directs the excitation beam into the microscope. The scanning beam from the scanning system is also passed through the main optical coupler to the microscope and the reflected light from the specimen is passed back from the microscope through the main optical coupler to the scanning system in a normal fashion to allow imaging of the specimen when the excitation beam is not provided. The position of the excitation beam is determined by directing a portion of the scanning beam toward the same aperture through which the excitation beam passes and detecting when the scanning beam light passes through the aperture, which corresponds to the point in time at which the scanning beam is at the position on the specimen at which the excitation beam will be incident. The detected signal can then be correlated with the displayed image of the specimen to indicate the target position in the image. In full image capture systems which do not use scanning, a target illumination beam can be passed onto the same optical path on which the excitation beam will be directed to the microscope.

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Madison, WI, United States of America

Ahmed Bouzid