Arrangement for optimizing the pulse shape in a laser scanning microscope

Abstract

A Device for coupling a short pulse laser into a microscope beam path, wherein the spectral components of the laser radiation are spatially separated by means of a dispersive element, the individual spectral components are manipulated and are then spatially superimposed again by means of another dispersive element.

1 . A device for coupling a short pulse laser into a microscope beam path of a laser scanning microscope used for investigation of nonlinear contrast methods comprising: 
 a dispersive element for spatially separating the spectral components of the laser radiation;    means for manipulating individual spectral components; said manipulating means acts to manipulate components and the manipulator means is purposefully optimized by feeding back a measurement signal and the desired measurement signal is therefore adjusted;    and an element for spatially superimposing the manipulated individual spectral components.    
   
   
       2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein, after manipulation, the spectral components are reflected at a mirror and superimposed again by the element for spatially superimposing.  
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the microscope is a laser scanning microscope.  
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein prisms or gratings are used as dispersive elements.  
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the manipulator means generates an amplitude modulation of the spectral components.  
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the manipulator means generates a phase modulation of the spectral components.  
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is followed by a single-mode fiber for coupling in a short pulse laser.  
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a single-mode fiber is also polarization-preserving.  
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a spatial light modulator is used in the Fourier plane as a manipulator means.  
   
   
       10 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the phase modulation in the manipulator means is used to compensate higher-order dispersion by the use of the feedback.  
   
   
       11 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the phase modulation in the manipulator means is optimized depending on the center wavelength of the short pulse laser by the use of feedback.  
   
   
       12 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the phase modulation in the manipulator means is optimized depending on the utilized objective by the use of the feedback.  
   
   
       13 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the phase modulation in the manipulator means is optimized depending on the utilized average output by the use of feedback.  
   
   
       14 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein, by the use of feedback, the phase modulation in the manipulator means is adjusted depending on the depth of penetration into a preparation to be examined and a nonlinearly excited fluorescence signal is therefore optimized.  
   
   
       15 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein a pulse front and a spherical aberration are optimized additionally by an adaptive acousto-optic element.  
   
   
       16 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the phase modulation in the manipulator means is optimized depending on the utilized objective by the use of feedback.  
   
   
       17 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein a specific excitation of fluorescence dyes is carried out by phase modulation and amplitude modulation in the manipulator means.  
   
   
       18 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the optimization is carried out selectively.  
   
   
       19 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a specific resolution of reactions in the fluorescence dyes is carried out by phase modulation and amplitude modulation in the manipulator means.  
   
   
       20 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a specific bleaching of dyes is carried out by phase modulation and amplitude modulation in the manipulator means.  
   
   
       21 . A device for coupling a short pulse laser into a microscope beam path of a laser scanning microscope comprising: 
 a dispersive element for spatially separating the spectral components of the laser radiation;    means for manipulating individual spectral components; wherein the manipulator means is purposefully optimized by feeding back a measurement signal and the desired measurement signal is therefore adjusted; and    an element for spatially superimposing the manipulated individual spectral components.    
   
   
       22 . A laser scanning microscope system comprising: 
 a microscope    a dispersive element for spatially separating the spectral components of a short pulse laser that will be coupled into a microscope beam path of said microscope means for manipulating individual spectral components; wherein the manipulating means is purposefully optimized by feeding back a measurement signal and the desired measurement signal is therefore adjusted; and an element for spatially superimposing the manipulated individual spectral components.