Influence of laser pulse shape and cleanliness on two-photon microscopy

Nonlinear microscopy, including two-photon microscopy, requires pulsed lasers as light source. Typically, when choosing the appropriate pulsed laser for two-photon microscopy, the pulse repetition rate, pulse width, total power output, and output beam diameter are among the critical parameters which...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chong, Shau Poh, Török, Peter
Other Authors: Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine)
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179283
Description
Summary:Nonlinear microscopy, including two-photon microscopy, requires pulsed lasers as light source. Typically, when choosing the appropriate pulsed laser for two-photon microscopy, the pulse repetition rate, pulse width, total power output, and output beam diameter are among the critical parameters which are often emphasised. Here, we demonstrate that the pulse shape, often overlooked, can have significant impact on the two-photon microscopy excitation efficiency and the effective signal brightness. We provide metrics to ease practical selection of pulsed laser sources for two-photon microscopy.