Photochromic probes with reversible fluorescence have revolutionized the fields of single molecule spectroscopy and super-resolution microscopy, but lack sufficient chemical specificity. In contrast, Raman probes with stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy provides superb chemical resolution for super-multiplexed imaging, but are relatively inert. Here we report vibrational photochromism by engineering alkyne tagged diarylethene to realize photo-switchable SRS imaging. The narrow Raman peak of the alkyne group shifts reversibly upon photoisomerization of the conjugated diarylethene when irradiated by ultraviolet (UV) or visible light, yielding “on” or “off” SRS images taken at the photoactive Raman frequency. We demonstrated photo-rewritable patterning and encryption on thin films, painting/erasing of cells with labelled alkyne-diarylethene, as well as pulse-chase experiments of mitochondria diffusion in living cells. The design principle provides potentials for super-resolution microscopy, optical memories and switches with vibrational specificity.

Gastroscopic biopsy provides the only effective method for gastric cancer diagnosis, but the gold standard histopathology is time-consuming and incompatible with gastroscopy. Conventional stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy has shown promise in label-free diagnosis on human tissues, yet it requires the tuning of picosecond lasers to achieve chemical specificity at the cost of time and complexity. Here, we demonstrate that single-shot femtosecond SRS (femto-SRS) reaches the maximum speed and sensitivity with preserved chemical resolution by integrating with U-Net. Fresh gastroscopic biopsy is imaged in <60 s, revealing essential histoarchitectural hallmarks perfectly agreed with standard histopathology. Moreover, a diagnostic neural network (CNN) is constructed based on images from 279 patients that predicts gastric cancer with accuracy >96%. We further demonstrate semantic segmentation of intratumor heterogeneity and evaluation of resection margins of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) tissues to simulate rapid and automated intraoperative diagnosis. Our method holds potential for synchronizing gastroscopy and histopathological diagnosis.

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Visualizing the 3D chemical profiles of individual aerosols is crucial to understand their formation and aging processes, yet remains technically challenging. Here, the first application of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy on 3D chemical imaging of individual aerosols in a nondestructive manner is demonstrated. SRS is capable of mapping chemical components of aerosols at a speed four orders of magnitude faster than conventional spontaneous Raman microscopy. Spatially resolved distributions of nitrates and sulfates reveal the fine structures and different mixing states of atmospheric particles. Moreover, high‐throughput quantifications of chemical compositions and particle size distributions are realized by large‐area imaging and statistical analysis. Its high‐speed and 3D chemical quantification capabilities promise SRS microscopy as a unique tool for studying the properties of single atmospheric particles, and ultimately their impacts on climate and human health.

Gout is a common metabolic disease with growing burden, caused by monosodium urate (MSU) microcrystal deposition. In situ and chemical-specific histological identification of MSU is crucial in the diagnosis and management of gout, yet it remains inaccessible for current histological methods. Methods: Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy was utilized to image MSU based on its fingerprint Raman spectra. We first tested SRS for the diagnosis capability of gout and the differentiation power from pseudogout with rat models of acute gout arthritis, calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPDD) and comorbidity. Then, human synovial fluid and surgical specimens (n=120) were were imaged with SRS to obtain the histopathology of MSU and collagen fibers. Finally, quantitative SRS analysis was performed in gout tissue of different physiological phases (n=120) to correlate with traditional histopathology including H&E and immunohistochemistry staining. Results: We demonstrated that SRS is capable of early diagnosis of gout, rapid detection of MSU in synovial fluid and fresh unprocessed surgical tissues, and accurate differentiation of gout from pseudogout in various pathophysiological conditions. Furthermore, quantitative SRS analysis revealed the optical characteristics of MSU deposition at different pathophysiological stages, which were found to matched well with corresponding immunofluorescence histochemistry features. Conclusion: Our work demonstrated the potential of SRS microscopy for rapid intraoperative diagnosis of gout and may facilitate future fundamental researches of MSU-based diseases.