Multicolour excitation module for a multiphoton imaging system, and associated method and system (extension internationale du brevet FR20120050990)
Abstract
The present invention concerns a multicolour excitation module 1 for a multiphoton imaging system 100. Such a module is used for imaging a sample 7 comprising at least three chromophores. The module 1 comprises: a first femtosecond laser source 2, emitting a first excitation beam 20; a second femtosecond laser source 3 emitting a second excitation beam 30. The first excitation beam 20 comprises a so-called "pumping" portion, said pumping portion acting as a pump beam to synchronously excite the second laser source 3, and a so-called "excitation" portion. An optical delay line 4 is arranged to spatially and temporally superpose the second excitation beam 30 and the excitation portion of the first excitation beam, so as to excite at least a third of the chromophores by multiphoton absorption, said absorbed photons coming from the first and second excitation beams 20, 30. The invention also concerns the complete multiphoton imaging system 100, and a method implemented in this module 1.