Mobius Photonics’ fiber laser speeds imaging for STED microscopy

An upgraded fiber laser from Mobius Photonics (Mountain View, CA) produces visible light with 20MHz pulse repetition rate. Tailored for stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy experiments, the laser improves imaging speed over prior STED set ups that used the company’s 1MHz lasers.

STED microscopy is a noninvasive microscopy technique that provides users with ultra-high-resolution images of biological samples. However, its application has been hampered by the availability of suitable light sources, as current technologies are limited by complexity, power, repetition rate, or wavelength. Accordingly, research has focused on developing a system based on a novel laser source that could enhance the technique’s capabilities—specifically, the ability to generate ultra-high-resolution images with rapid throughput and to use fluorescent markers of choice. The laser is based on pulsed master-oscillator, fiber-power-amplifier (MOFPA) architecture. A versatile source, it provides diffraction-limited operation over a range of user-adjustable settings. For more information, visit www.mobiusphotonics.com or call (408) 496-1084.