Here we introduce a fiber amplifier and a diamond Raman laser that output high powers (6.5 W, 1.3 W) at valuable wavelengths (1060 nm, 1250 nm) for multiphoton excitation of red-shifted fluorophores. These custom excitation sources are both simple to construct and cost-efficient in comparison to similar custom and commercial alternatives. Furthermore, they operate at a repetition rate (80 MHz) that allows fast image acquisition using resonant scanners. We demonstrate our system's compatibility with fast resonant scanning, the ability to acquire neuronal images, and the capability to image vasculature at deep locations (>1 mm) within the mouse cerebral cortex.
Multiphoton excitation imaging via actively mode-locked tunable fiber-cavity SOA laser around 800 nm
