Abstract: A neural probe for light stimulation of a tissue is provided. The probe includes a base that has light supplying circuitry, and one or more elongated microsized shanks extending from the base. Each shank has a longitudinal axis and includes one or more waveguides extending along the shank's length, with the waveguides being optically connected to the light supplying circuitry. In addition, each of the waveguides is optically connected to a diffraction grating coupler that emits a light beam from the shank when light passes from the base through the waveguide and to the diffraction grating coupler. The emitted light beam has a propagation direction at a set angle relative to an axis that is substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the shank. A method for stimulating a tissue using the neural probe is also provided.

Abstract: A neural probe for light stimulation of a tissue is provided. The probe includes a base that has light supplying circuitry, and one or more elongated microsized shanks extending from the base. Each shank has a longitudinal axis and includes one or more waveguides extending along the shank's length, with the waveguides being optically connected to the light supplying circuitry. In addition, each of the waveguides is optically connected to a diffraction grating coupler that emits a light beam from the shank when light passes from the base through the waveguide and to the diffraction grating coupler. The emitted light beam has a propagation direction at a set angle relative to an axis that is substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the shank. A method for stimulating a tissue using the neural probe is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting functional cellular activity within a volume of a tissue. The method includes inserting a three-dimensional array of optical emitters and optical detectors into a volume of a tissue, where the tissue volume includes one or more cells labeled with an optical reporter of cellular activity; illuminating the one or more cells with photons from the optical emitters of the three-dimensional array to generate optical signals from the optical reporter that labels the one or more cells; and detecting the optical signals using the optical detectors of the three-dimensional array, where the illumination includes one-photon excitation of the optical reporter.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a confocal laser scanning microscopy apparatus, comprising: means for emitting a laser beam; means for scanning this laser beam in at least two directions onto an observed sample; means for generating a non linear light signal from the transmitted laser light, these non linear light signal generating means being disposed in the light path between the observed sample and detecting means which are adapted for detecting said non linear light signal.