Harvard College

The University of Arizona

Xiaoling Sunney Xie

Ji-Xin Cheng

Nasser N Peyghambarian

Khanh Kieu

Christian W Freudiger

Dan Fu

Andreas Volkmer

An illumination system is disclosed for providing dual-excitation wavelength illumination for non-linear optical microscopy and micro-spectroscopy. The illumination system includes a laser system, an optical splitting means, a frequency shifting system, and a picosecond amplifier system. The laser system includes a laser for providing a first train of pulses at a center optical frequency &#x3c9;. The optical splitting means divides the first train of pulses at the center optical frequency &#x3c9;into two trains of pulses. The frequency shifting system shifts the optical frequency of one of the two trains of pulses to provide a frequency shifted train of pulses. The picosecond amplifier system amplifies the frequency shifted train of pulses to provide an amplified frequency-shifted train of pulses having a pulse duration of at least 0.5 picoseconds.

Laser illumination systems and methods for dual-excitation wavelength non-linear optical microscopy and micro-spectroscopy systems

Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting a coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) signal from a microscopic sample in an epi-direction. In an embodiment, the system includes at least two sources having a pump source for generating a pump field at the pump frequency, a Stoke source for generating a Stoke field at the Stoke frequency that is different from the pump frequency, optics ( ) for directing the pump and Stoke beams ( ) in a collinear fashion through a focusing lens ( ) toward a common focal spot in a sample ( ), and detector optics that images the CARS in epi-direction, which is generated by the interaction of the pump and Stoke fields ( ) with the sample ( ) and is collected by the same focusing lens ( ), towards an epi-detector ( ).

System and method for epi-detected coherent anti-stokes raman scattering microscopy

Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting a nonlinear coherent field induced in a microscopic sample. The system includes in an embodiment, a first source for generating a first polarized electromagnetic field at a first frequency and a second source for generating a second polarized electromagnetic field at a second frequency that is different from the first frequency. The system further includes optics for combining the first polarized electromagnetic field and the second polarized electromagnetic field in a collinear fashion such that the difference in polarization angles is &phgr; wherein &phgr; is not equal to zero. The optics further direct the combined electromagnetic field toward a common focal volume. The system also includes a polarization sensitive detector for detecting a nonlinear coherent field that is generated responsive to the first and second polarized electromagnetic fields in the focal volume.

System and method for polarization coherent anti-stokes Raman scattering microscopy

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Lexington, MA, United States of America

Xiaoling Sunney Xie