Microscopy imaging system and method employing stimulated Raman spectroscopy as a contrast mechanism

摘要

A microscopy imaging system is disclosed that includes a first light source, a second light source, a modulator system, focusing optics, an optical detector, and a processor. The first light source is for providing a first train of pulses at a first center optical frequency ω1. The second light source is for providing a second train of pulses at a second center optical frequency ω2 such that a difference between ω1 and ω2 is resonant with a vibrational frequency of a sample in the focal volume. The second train of pulses is temporally synchronized with the first train of pulses. The modulator system is for modulating a beam property of the second train of pulses at a modulation frequency fof at least 100kHz. The focusing optics is for directing and focusing the first train of pulses and the second train of pulses toward a common focal volume. The optical detector is for detecting an integrated intensity of substantially all optical frequency components of the first train of pulses transmitted or reflected through the common focal volume by blocking the second train of pulses being modulated. The processor is for detecting, at the modulation frequency f, a generated modulation of the integrated intensity of the substantially all of the optical frequency components of the first train of pulses due to the non-linear interaction of the first train of pulses with the second train of pulses in the common focal volume, to provide a pixel of an image for the microscopy imaging system.