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Title: Two-photon microscope using a fiber-based approach for supercontinuum generation and light delivery to a small-footprint optical head

In this Letter, we report a low-cost, portable, two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy imager that uses a fiber-based approach for both femtosecond supercontinuum (SC) generation and light delivery to the optical head. The SC generation is based on a tapered polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber that uses pre-chirped femtosecond narrowband pulses to generate a coherent SC spectrum with a bandwidth of approximately 300 nm. Using this approach, high-power, near-transform-limited, wavelength-selectable SC pulses are generated and directly delivered to the imaging optical head. Preliminary testing of this imager on brain slices is presented, demonstrating a high signal-to-noise ratio and sub-cellular imaging capabilities to a depth of approximately 200 µm. These results demonstrate the suitability of the technology forex vivoand potentiallyin vivocellular-level biomedical imaging applications.

 
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Award ID(s):
1841539
PAR ID:
10133631
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Optical Society of America
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Optics Letters
Volume:
45
Issue:
4
ISSN:
0146-9592; OPLEDP
Format(s):
Medium: X Size: Article No. 909
Size(s):
Article No. 909
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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