We demonstrate a robust, all-fiber, two-wavelength time-lens source for background-free coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging. The time-lens source generates two picosecond pulse trains simultaneously: one at 1064 nm and the other tunable between 1040 nm and 1075 nm (~ 400 mW for each wavelength). When synchronized to a modelocked Ti:Sa laser, the two wavelengths are used to obtain on- and off-resonance CARS images. Real-time subtraction of the nonresonant background in the CARS image is achieved by the synchronization of the pixel clock and the time-lens source. Background-free CARS imaging of sebaceous glands in ex vivo mouse tissue is demonstrated.

Date Published: 21 February 2017
PDF: 5 pages
Proc. SPIE 10069, Multiphoton Microscopy in the Biomedical Sciences XVII, 100690Y (21 February 2017); doi: 10.1117/12.2250347

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10069:
Multiphoton Microscopy in the Biomedical Sciences XVII
Ammasi Periasamy; Peter T. C. So; Karsten König; Xiaoliang S. Xie, Editor(s)