CARS & SRS with picoEmerald
Stimulated Raman Scattering & Coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering
Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS)
Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) microscopy for non-
invasive label-free imaging is facilitated via the picoEmerald system. SRS microscopy provides almost background-free imaging contrast. It allows simple spectroscopic identification of the samples’ fingerprint region based on Raman spectra databases. Switching over to SRS microscopy is relatively straightforward for researchers who already have CARS experience.
Multimodal Imaging CARS Lee & Park et al
Multimodal Imaging CARS Merged Image Lee & Park et al
Multimodal Imaging SHG Lee & Park et al
Multimodal Imaging TPEF Lee & Park et al
Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy (CARS)
CARS Coherent anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy (as well as Stimulated Raman Scattering) create high imaging contrast without labeling. The technology involves two laser beams. CARS is sensitive to the vibrational modes of samples and visualizes the vibrational contrast of molecules. The samples, even living objects, remain almost unaffected.
SRS Microscopy and CARS Spectroscopy with a Tunable ps Two-Color Laser
CARS & SRS in a Single-box
SRS Stimulated Raman Scattering microscopy and CARS Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy have migrated from physics labs to life-science labs, so APE has responded with an easy-to-use and truly hands-off SRS and CARS light source: picoEmerald. In a single-box, picoEmerald provides fully automated temporal- and spatial-overlapping ultra-short pulse trains: 1032 nm from the laser oscillator, plus the OPO Signal beam, and OPO Idler beam.
Turning Complexity into a Turn-Key System
The light source is the most crucial and complex component of a SRS or CARS microscopy system. Proper setup and calibration are essential for accurate and reproducible imaging. picoEmerald is a turn-key system combining user-friendly automation features and the utility of open-architecture light sources in a single box.
Applications
Stimulated Raman Spectroscopy (SRS)
Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy (CARS)
SRS Microscopy of Vibrational Probes
Second Harmonics Imaging (SHG)
Pump-Probe Spectroscopy
Surface Enhanced Hyper Raman Spectroscopy (SEHRS)
Setup and Use with Microscopes
picoEmerald is compatible with nearly all popular confocal microscope systems. The current publication list names at least those configurations:
Home-built setups
Leica SP-Series
Olympus FV-Series
Nikon Ti-U Platform
Thorlabs Multiphoton
Zeiss LSM-Series
Horiba
By integrating SRS and CARS technology into Leica’s confocal SP5/SP8 microscopy system, Leica Microsystems has tightly integrated the picoEmerald into their LAS AF system software. Similary tight software integration is also available with Thorlabs’ multi-photon microscopes. Software integration into other third-party microscopes or home-built setups is also supported. Ethernet TCP/IP and serial RS232 interfaces are available with picoEmerald for this purpose. APE’s user-friendly automation combined with a graphical user interface (GUI) also makes it convenient when using picoEmerald and microscope as independent instruments, without the need for software integration.
Introduction to Stimulated Raman
Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) is based on the effect that excited molecules emit spontaneous Raman scattering, SRS is a further development of CARS. In the event of two different laser beams with a frequency difference which matches the vibrational frequency, the Raman signal will be amplified. So this process is not spontaneously anymore, it is stimulated.
This technique requires two laser beams. A Pump and a Stokes beam. One of these beams must be tuneable in order to meet the difference of the frequencies, so that the molecules can be excited into the virtual state and to bring it to the vibrational state. As at CARS, the molecules are only excited if the frequency coincides with the vibrational resonance.
The tuneable Pump beam gets a loss in intensity after excitation of the molecules (stimulated Raman loss, SRL). On the opposite, the intensity of the non-tuneable Stokes beam increases (stimulated Raman gain – SRG).
The different intensities between input Pump beam and output Pump beam are very low. So low, that the true measurement signal is lost in the noise. To measure this difference, the lock-in technique is used. For this the Stokes beam is modulated to a fixed frequency by an Electro-Optical Modulator (EOM). APE has integrated such EOM into picoEmerald.
Unlike CARS, SRS provides results with no non-resonant background. The assignments of CARS spectra are more complicated and thus the interpretation is more susceptible to errors. SRS is based on spontaneously Raman scattering and so the obtained SRS spectra are almost identical with spectra of spontaneously Raman scattering. Furthermore, SRS signal is directly linearly dependent to the concentration.
picoEmerald Specification
Main Parameters
Type of Source
Automated picosecond (narrow-band) tunable light source
Wavelength 1 1032 nm Beam
1032 +- 1.5 nm
Wavelength 2 OPO Signal
700 ... 990 nm
Wavelength 3 OPO Idler
1080 ... 1950 nm
Power 1 1032 nm Beam
> 700 mW (customized versions on request)
Power 2 OPO Signal
> 700 mW at 800 nm
Power 3 OPO Idler
> 400 mW at 1250 nm
dn OPO Signal - OPO Idler
800 ... 9000 cm-1
dn OPO Signal - Fundamental
400 ... 4500 cm-1
Pulse Width
2 ps (others on request)
Repetition Rate
80 MHz
Spectral Bandwidth Signal, 1032 nm beam
10 cm-1
Beam
Beam Diagnostics
Integrated for Signal Wavelength, Power, Bandwidth, Beam position, Temporal overlap
Pointing Stability
< 100 µrad per 100 nm
M2
< 1.2 (OPO Signal), typ. 1.2 (1032 nm beam)
Ellipticity
< 10 %
Polarization
Linear; Horizontal > 100:1
Beam Divergence
1.0 (+- 0.2) mrad (at 800 and 1032 nm)
Beam Waist Diameter
1.2 (+- 0.2) mm at 800 nm; 1.7 (+- 0.2) mm at 1032 nm
Software
Software and Automation
Included
Wavelength Sweep Function
Start/End Function, User-defined Holding Time, Trigger Function, max. 2 nm step size,
approx. 5 s per wavelength step
Remote Control
Possible via USB / Ethernet TCP/IP / Serial RS232
SRS
SRS Modulator EOM (Optional)
EOM with a resonant fixed frequency of 10 MHz (or 20 MHz) modulation frequency;
Built into picoEmerald
Turning Complexity into a Turn-Key System
The light source is the most crucial and complex component of a CARS Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy or SRS Stimulated Raman Scattering system. Proper setup and calibration are essential for accurate and reproducible imaging. picoEmerald is a turn-key system combining user-friendly automation features and the utility of open-architecture light sources in a single box.
商品属性 [波长] 1032 +- 1.5 nm/700 ... 990 nm/1080 ... 1950 nm