47 results about "Multiphoton excitation" patented technology

An optical fiber scanner is used for multiphoton excitation imaging, optical coherence tomography, or for confocal imaging in which transverse scans are carried out at a plurality of successively different depths within tissue. The optical fiber scanner is implemented as a scanning endoscope using a cantilevered optical fiber that is driven into resonance or near resonance by an actuator. The actuator is energized with drive signals that cause the optical fiber to scan in a desired pattern at successively different depths as the depth of the focal point is changed. Various techniques can be employed for depth focus tracking at a rate that is much slower than the transverse scanning carried out by the vibrating optical fiber. The optical fiber scanner can be used for confocal imaging, multiphoton fluorescence imaging, nonlinear harmonic generation imaging, or in an OCT system that includes a phase or frequency modulator and delay line.

The present invention is directed to a method of applying radiation through an optical fiber for detecting disease within a plant or animal or imaging a particular tissue of a plant or animal. In addition, fluorescence can be detected and localized within a subject by such application of radiation through an optical fiber. The radiation is effective to promote simultaneous multiphoton excitation. The optical fibers are used alone to examine internal regions of tissue, in conjunction with an optical biopsy needle to evaluate sub-surface tissue, or with an endoscope to evaluate tissue within body cavities.

The microscope has a first pulsed laser generating means, a second pulsed laser generating means, an irradiation means to irradiate to a specimen by composing the first pulse light and the second pulse light, a coherent Raman scattering light extraction means for extracting only the coherent Raman scattering light from light emanated from the specimen irradiated, an extraction means for extracting only the multiphoton excitation fluorescence, an extraction means for extracting only the second harmonic wave, a detection means for detecting the extracted coherent Raman scattering light, and a detection means for detecting the extracted fluorescence, and a detection means for detecting the second harmonic wave via the extraction means 7. To single specimen, responding to purposes, observations of the two-photon excitation fluorescence observation, the second harmonic wave observation, and the coherent Raman scattering light observations can be carried out in parallel, or selectively.

An optical scanner, scanner apparatus, or scanner assembly, which may be particularly advantageous for use in a multiphoton microscope, includes a first drivable bending component, a second drivable bending component mounted perpendicularly to the first component, and at least one optical waveguide coupled one or both of the first and second bending components, wherein the at least one optical waveguide provides both a propagation path for a multiphoton excitation radiation delivery between a light source and a target and a multiphoton-induced emission radiation delivery between the target and a detector. A GRIN relay lens. A multiphoton microscope incorporating the scanner and the GRIN relay lens.

Observation is performed using bright, clear multiphoton fluorescence images produced by efficiently generating a multiphoton excitation effect, without the need for a complex interference film structure. The invention employs a laser microscope apparatus including a first dichroic mirror that reflects visible laser light guided via a first light path and that transmits IR pulsed laser light guided via a second light path to combine the first light path and the second light path; an XY galvanometer mirror that scans the laser light from the first dichroic mirror on a specimen; an objective lens that irradiates the specimen with the scanned laser light and that collects fluorescence produced in the specimen; a second dichroic mirror that reflects the visible laser light and transmits the fluorescence from the specimen; and a detection unit that detects the fluorescence transmitted through the second dichroic mirror.

The invention provides a multiphoton-excitation-type examination apparatus that efficiently generates a multiphoton-excitation effect, that makes the measurement head compact, and that can be easily adjusted when the measurement head is replaced. The multiphoton-excitation-type examination apparatus comprises a laser light source that oscillates ultrashort pulsed laser light; an optical fiber that transmits the ultrashort pulsed laser light from the laser light source; a support member; a measurement head supported on the support member so as to be movable upwards and downwards and at an angle, and having an optical system that irradiates a specimen with the ultrashort pulsed laser light transmitted by the optical fiber that measures fluorescence or reflected light coming from the specimen; and a dispersion-compensating member, in the measurement head, that compensates for group velocity dispersion of the ultrashort pulsed laser light irradiated onto the specimen.

It is possible to reduce a drop in output power in a positive-dispersion element used as a pulse compressor, thus improving multiphoton-excitation efficiency. Also, reducing the size of the positive-dispersion element makes it easier to attach it to a microscope main body and to accommodate it therein, thus improving maneuverability. The invention provides a laser microscope including a laser light source for emitting ultrashort-pulsed laser light; a pulse expander for expanding the ultrashort-pulsed laser light emitted from the laser light source; a large-diameter single-mode fiber for transmitting the ultrashort-pulsed laser light expanded by the pulse expander; a pulse compressor for compressing the ultrashort-pulsed laser light transmitted by the single-mode fiber; and a microscope main body for irradiating a specimen with the ultrashort-pulsed laser light compressed by the pulse compressor.

A multiphoton excitation scanning laser microscope employs a laser beam source for oscillating a pulse laser beam having a wavelength range. A multiphoton excitation phenomenon takes place in a sample irradiated with the laser beam so as to emit a fluorescent light. An optical system for forming an optical path of the laser beam includes a pre-chirp compensator, a scanning optical unit and a plurality of objective lenses differing from each other in magnification and capable of being selectively arranged on the optical path. The optical system also includes a correcting mechanism for causing the pulse width of the laser beam to be constant on a cross section of the sample in the case of selecting any of the objective lenses. The correcting mechanism includes a plurality of correcting plates capable of being selectively arranged on the optical path.

The present invention relates to the field of light induced therapy. The invention relates more particularly to a method of modulating receptor function of cells having receptor proteins, said method comprising illuminating the cells with light in the wavelength interval of 250-305 nm or with light having longer wavelengths that by means of non-linear processes and/or multiphoton excitation promotes the same electronic transitions as light in the wavelength interval of 250-305 nm to modulate said receptor function.

The present invention is directed to a method of detecting a neurodegenerative disease in a mammal by activating brain tissue of the mammal by application of radiation under conditions effective to promote a simultaneous multiphoton excitation of the brain tissue and to emit a fluorescence characteristic. The fluorescence characteristic is then compared to a standard fluorescence emitted by exciting healthy brain tissue of the mammal under the same conditions used to carry out the activating step. Brain tissue where the fluorescence characteristic differs from the standard fluorescence is identified as potentially having a neurodegenerative disease. Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of producing an image of brain tissue from a mammal by activating brain tissue of a mammal with radiation applied under conditions effective to promote a simultaneous multiphoton excitation of the brain tissue and to produce fluorescence. The fluorescence is then collected to produce an image of the brain tissue.

The invention provides a multi-beam multiphoton microscopic imaging device, comprising a light source module, a beam splitter, a resonance-galvanometer scanning head, a focus module and an imaging module. The light source module is used for generating a laser which can be used for multiphoton excitation. The beam splitter is used for generating a plurality of laser beams in a straight line of equiangular pitch. The scanning direction of the resonance scanning head and the galvanometer scanning head are perpendicular to each other, and the arrangement direction of the plurality of laser beams is consistent with the scanning direction of the galvanometer scanning head. The focus module is used for converting the laser emitted by the resonance-galvanometer scanning head into a focus spot of equiangular pitch and irradiating to the sample so as to excite a fluorescent or multiphoton high-order harmonic signal. The imaging module is for collecting fluorescent or multiphoton high-order harmonic signal for imaging. The multi-beam multiphoton microscopic imaging device provided by the invention adopts a plurality of laser beams located in a straight line, and the arrangement direction of the plurality of laser beams is consistent with the scanning direction of the galvanometer scanning head, thereby the plurality of laser beams scanning the sample simultaneously, which improves the imaging speed.

A method for detecting protein crystals comprises: illuminating a sample with a laser to produce multiphoton excitation; collecting an emission spectrum; and determining whether the sample comprises protein crystals.