A method for achieving super-resolved widefield CARS microscopy

Abstract

We propose a scheme for achieving widefield coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy images with sub-diffraction-limited resolution. This approach adds structured illumination to the widefield CARS configuration [Applied Physics Letters 84, 816 (2004)]. By capturing a number of images at different phases of the standing wave pattern, an image with up to three times the resolution of the original can be constructed. We develop a theoretical treatment of this system and perform numerical simulations for a typical CARS system, which indicate that resolutions around 120 nm are obtainable with the present scheme. As an imaging system, this method combines the advantages of sub-diffraction-limited resolution, endogenous contrast generation, and a wide field of view.

Ultra-Broadband Time-Resolved Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Spectroscopy and Microscopy with Photonic Crystal Fiber Generated Supercontinuum

“…www.intechopen.com Ultra-Broadband Time-Resolved Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Spectroscopy and Microscopy with Photonic Crystal Fiber Generated Supercontinuum 197 Kim M. Hajek et al presented a theoretical analysis and simulation of a wide-field CARS microscopy with sub-diffraction-limited resolution in 2010 [131] . The configuration and a simulation result are shown in figure 21.…”

“…21. (a) Schematic of stand-wave wide-filed CARS microscopy, (b) phase-matching condition, (c) simulation result of the point spread function (PSF) of the proposed method [131] .…”

Structured illumination microscopy and its new developments

“…In 2007, Littleton et al 36¯r st proposed to apply the structured illumination to non°uorescent imaging applications to achieve super-resolution imaging. In 2010, Hajek et al 37 tried to combine structured illumination with coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy, however, they only reported the computer simulation super-resolution results without experiment results, and super-resolution imaging with structured illumination has been extended to the scattered light imaging systems. In 2011, Zhang et al 38 used SLM to achieve three-dimensional structured illumination scattered light super-resolution imaging, assisted by gold nanoparticles.…”

Introduction to Superresolution Microscopy

“…The study of SPR has recently attracted extensive interests because it provides light manipulation capability for photonic integrated circuits, nano laser, biosensing, and near-field superresolution imaging applications [48][49][50][51]. The spatial resolution of plasmonic nano-imaging can be improved by incorporating nonlinear optical phenomena, such as coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering [52,53] and saturation. To our knowledge, neither saturation, nor switching of scattering from SPR structures has been reported, but there are plenty of reports on saturable absorption of plasmonic nanoparticles embedded in dielectric matrix [54][55][56].…”