Two-photon microscopy using picosecond pulses from four-wave mixing in a Yb-doped photonic crystal fiber
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Two-photon microscopy (TPM) enables deep tissue imaging but requires excitation pulses that have a large product of average and peak power, typically supplied by femtosecond solid-state lasers. However, these lasers are bulky, and femtosecond pulses require careful dispersion management to avoid pulse broadening, particularly when delivery fibers are used. Here we present a compact, fiber-based picosecond laser source operating at 790 nm for TPM using an ytterbium-doped photonic crystal fiber (Yb-doped PCF). The Yb-doped PCF simultaneously amplifies 1064 nm input pulses and efficiently converts them to 790 nm via four-wave mixing, generating pulses with a peak power of up to ∼3.8 kW. The source has a variable repetition rate (1.48 MHz–14.78 MHz), enabling the two-photon excitation fluorescence signal to be maximized in the presence of excitation saturation. We benchmark our picosecond laser source against a femtosecond Ti:Sapphire laser for TPM of stained Convallaria majalis samples and demonstrate comparable fluorescence signal when the two-photon excitation conditions are matched.
Date Issued
2025-06-01
Date Acceptance
2025-05-05
Citation
Biomedical Optics Express, 2025, 16 (6), pp.2327-2336
ISSN
2156-7085
Publisher
Optica Publishing Group
Start Page
2327
End Page
2336
Journal / Book Title
Biomedical Optics Express
Volume
16
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
Journal © 2025 Published by Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40677381
PII: boe-16-6-2327
Subjects
Biochemical Research Methods
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
LASER
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
MULTIPHOTON MICROSCOPY
Optics
Physical Sciences
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
SCALAR
Science & Technology
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2025-05-14