Ultra-low timing jitter, Ti:Al2O3 synchronization for stimulated Raman scattering and pump-probe microscopy.

Journal of Biomedical Optics
Ben SherlockJulian Moger

Abstract

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and pump-probe microscopy are implementations of multiphoton microscopy that acquire high-resolution, label-free images of live samples encoded with molecular contrast. Most commercial multiphoton microscopes cannot access these techniques since they require sample illumination by two temporally synchronized ultrafast pulse trains. We present a compact and robust way of synchronizing an additional Ti:sapphire laser with a conventional single-beam multiphoton microscope to realize an instrument that can acquire images with enhanced molecular specificity. A passive optical synchronization scheme for a pair of commercially available, unmodified modelocked Ti:sapphire lasers was developed. The suitability of this synchronization scheme for advanced biomedical microscopy was investigated. A pair of modelocked Ti:sapphire lasers were aligned in master-slave configuration. Five percent of the master laser output was used to seed the modelocking in the slave laser cavity. The timing jitter of the master and slave pulse trains was characterized using an optical autocorrelator. The synchronized output of both lasers was coupled into a laser scanning microscope and used to acquire spectral focusing SRS an...Continue Reading

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