Nanosecond microscopy with a high spectroscopic resolution

Abstract

We demonstrate coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy in a wide-field setup with nanosecond laser pulse excitation. In contrast to confocal setups, the image of a sample can be recorded with a single pair of excitation pulses. For this purpose the excitation geometry is specially designed in order to satisfy the phase matching condition over the whole sample area. The spectral, temporal and spatial sensitivity of the method is demonstrated by imaging test samples, i.e. oil vesicles in sunflower seeds, on a nanosecond timescale. The method provides snapshot imaging in 3 nanoseconds with a spectral resolution of 25 wavenumbers (cm$^{-1}$).