Coherent has launched the Chameleon Vision-S for multi-photon imaging, which combines short (80fs) pulse-widths with the industry's claimed highest average power and longest wavelength tuning range.
Specifically, it delivers more than 410kW of usable peak power - after GVD pre-compensation - and hands-free tuning from 690nm to 1,050nm.
The blend of short pulse-widths and high average power is claimed to translate into the highest pre-compensated peak power currently available from any 'one-box' laser.
The Chameleon Vision-S is said to be a suitable laser for multi-photon excitation (MPE) imaging for several reasons.
The laser's high peak power delivers maximum imaging brightness in deeper tissues.
Moreover, because the Chameleon Vision-S is a one-box laser with the laser oscillator and GVD precompensator integrated on a single baseplate, it also provides good beam pointing stability (80microrad per 100nm of tuning), which is another prerequisite for deep-tissue imaging.
The laser's Group Velocity Dispersion (GVD) precompensator is said to provide seamless, hands-free adjustment of negative dispersion from zero up to a maximum of 43,000fs, enabling good pulse duration flexibility at the sample, even in next-generation microscopes with multiple AO modulators.
These microscopes provide fast scanning of selected image sectors in applications such as neuroscience that require high frame rates to follow dynamic events in real time.
In addition, the circular TEM00 Gaussian output beam (M < 1.1) maximises image resolution at any tissue depth.
