Two-photon excitation STED microscopy by utilizing transmissive liquid crystal devices

Opt Express. 2014 Nov 17;22(23):28215-21. doi: 10.1364/OE.22.028215.

Abstract

Transmissive liquid crystal devices (tLCDs) enable the modification of optical properties, such as phase, polarization, and laser light intensity, over a wide wavelength region at a high conversion efficiency. By utilizing tLCDs, we developed a new two-photon excitation stimulated emission depletion microscopy technique based on a conventional two-photon microscope. Spatial resolution was improved by compensating for phase shifts distributed in the optical path. Using this technique, we observed the fine structures of microtubule networks in fixed biological cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Equipment Design
  • Liquid Crystals*
  • Microscopy, Confocal / instrumentation*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / instrumentation*
  • Photons*