Imaging multiphoton fluorescence

Multiphoton Fluorescence Imaging with the Near-Infrared 35 fs Laser Microscope... 

The NIR femtosecond laser microscope realized higher order multi photon excitation for aromatic compounds interferometric autocorrelation detection of the fluorescence from the microcrystals of the aromatic molecules confirmed that their excited states were produced not via stepwise multiphoton absorption but by simultaneous absorption of several photons. The microscope enabled us to obtain three-dimensional multiphoton fluorescence images with higher spatial resolution than that limited by the diffraction theory for one-photon excitation. 

Fig. 4.1. Multiphoton fluorescence intensity (A-C) and TCSPC fluorescence lifetime images (D-F) of fresh unstained sections of human cervical biopsy excited at 740 nm and imaged between 385 and 600 nm. The individual acquisition times were 600 s. Adapted from Fig. 22.11 of Ref. [8].

We demonstrate the Mil method, which couples the sensitivity of multiphoton excitation on the spectral phase of the laser pulses to probe microscopic chemical environment-induced changes in the multiphoton excitation spectrum of sensitive reporter molecules. We carry out the optimization of the required phase functions in solution and provide theoretical simulations. We show experimental images whereby pH-selective two-photon microscopy is achieved and demonstrate how selective excitation can be used to enhance contrast and, consequently, to achieve functional imaging, using fluorescent probes sensitive to changes in their local environment. 

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