Abstract: A system for generating a series of reducing intensity laser pulses from an ultrafast pulsed laser source. The reducing intensity series of pulses is equally temporally spaced between pulses from the laser source. The repeating series of reducing intensity laser pulses is fed to a microscope for imaging. The microscope is capable of detecting the fluorescence from a sample generated by each pulse in the series. The data is processed using knowledge of the pulse intensity, location on the test sample, and amount of fluorescence measured to create an increased dynamic range of the image relative to what can be obtained in a normal two-photon imaging system.

Abstract: A braking device including: a piezoelectric element; and a braking portion. The braking portion is configured to be fixed to a member when the piezoelectric element is in a first state, and to be slidable along the member when the piezoelectric element is in a second state. The piezoelectric element changes from one state to another state when a voltage is applied.

Abstract: An ultrafast mode-locked laser comprising circuitry configured to drive an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the mode-locked laser with a drive waveform, the drive waveform being a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to a repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, a phase-coherent pulsed waveform at a frequency equal to the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, or a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to half of the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser.

Abstract: An imaging incident angle tracking device, including: a light source; a first and second beam splitters or dichroic mirrors; a position sensitive detector; wherein the first and second beam splitters or dichroic mirrors are configured to direct light from the light source to a window surface through an objective lens; the first and second beam splitters or dichroic mirrors is further configured to direct the light reflected from the window surface and through the objective lens into the position sensitive detector. A positioning system, including: a baseplate; a platform; a plurality of strut assemblies connecting the baseplate and the platform; wherein each of the strut assembly includes: a linear actuator; a first flexure assembly and a second flexure assembly at the first and second ends of the strut assembly; the first and second flexure assemblies are rigid along and flexibly bendable orthogonal to the length of the strut assembly.

Abstract: A braking device including: a piezoelectric element; and a braking portion. The braking portion is configured to be fixed to a member when the piezoelectric element is in a first state, and to be slidable along the member when the piezoelectric element is in a second state. The piezoelectric element changes from one state to another state when a voltage is applied.

Abstract: A system for generating a series of reducing intensity laser pulses from an ultrafast pulsed laser source. The reducing intensity series of pulses is equally temporally spaced between pulses from the laser source. The repeating series of reducing intensity laser pulses is fed to a microscope for imaging. The microscope is capable of detecting the fluorescence from a sample generated by each pulse in the series. The data is processed using knowledge of the pulse intensity, location on the test sample, and amount of fluorescence measured to create an increased dynamic range of the image relative to what can be obtained in a normal two-photon imaging system.

Abstract: An optical device includes: first and second optical paths; a light reflective surface; and a linkage system. The first optical path is defined along a first optical axis. The second optical path is defined along a second optical axis. The light reflective surface is defined between the first and second optical paths. The first and second axes define first and second tilt angles from a normal line of the reflective surface, respectively. The linkage system connects the first and second optical paths with the light reflective surface such that the first tilt angle remains the same as the second tilt angle during movement of the first optical path relative to the second optical path.

Abstract: A method of making a pre-aligned optical mount, including: mounting a desired optical element onto a housing; securing the housing onto a stage having at least four degrees of freedom; aligning the optical element with a specified optical axis by adjustment of the stage; machining the housing to match an optical platform onto which the housing is be mounted; wherein the housing is machined such that an optical axis of the optical element is aligned with a predefined optical axis with respect to the optical platform when the housing is mounted onto the optical platform.

Abstract: A mode-locked laser comprising circuitry configured to drive an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the mode-locked laser with a drive waveform, the drive waveform being a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to a repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, a phase-coherent pulsed waveform at a frequency equal to the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, or a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to half of the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser.

Abstract: An ultrafast mode-locked laser comprising circuitry configured to drive an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the mode-locked laser with a drive waveform, the drive waveform being a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to a repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, a phase-coherent pulsed waveform at a frequency equal to the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, or a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to half of the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser.

Abstract: An imaging incident angle tracking device, including: a light source; a first and second beam splitters or dichroic mirrors; a position sensitive detector; wherein the first and second beam splitters or dichroic mirrors are configured to direct light from the light source to a window surface through an objective lens; the first and second beam splitters or dichroic mirrors is further configured to direct the light reflected from the window surface and through the objective lens into the position sensitive detector. A positioning system, including: a baseplate; a platform; a plurality of strut assemblies connecting the baseplate and the platform; wherein each of the strut assembly includes: a linear actuator; a first flexure assembly and a second flexure assembly at the first and second ends of the strut assembly; the first and second flexure assemblies are rigid along and flexibly bendable orthogonal to the length of the strut assembly.

Abstract: A mode-locked laser comprising circuitry configured to drive an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the mode-locked laser with a drive waveform, the drive waveform being a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to a repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, a phase-coherent pulsed waveform at a frequency equal to the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, or a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to half of the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser.

Abstract: Disclosed are several technical approaches of using low coherence interferometry techniques to create an autofocus apparatus for optical microscopy. These approaches allow automatic focusing on thin structures that are positioned closely to reflective surfaces and behind refractive material like a cover slip, and automated adjustment of focus position into the sample region without disturbance from reflection off adjacent surfaces. The measurement offset induced by refraction of material that covers the sample is compensated for. Proposed are techniques of an instrument that allows the automatic interchange of imaging objectives in a low coherence interferometry autofocus system, which is of major interest in combination with TDI (time delay integration) imaging, confocal and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.

Abstract: Disclosed are several technical approaches of using low coherence interferometry techniques to create an autofocus apparatus for optical microscopy. These approaches allow automatic focusing on thin structures that are positioned closely to reflective surfaces and behind refractive material like a cover slip, and automated adjustment of focus position into the sample region without disturbance from reflection off adjacent surfaces. The measurement offset induced by refraction of material that covers the sample is compensated for. Proposed are techniques of an instrument that allows the automatic interchange of imaging objectives in a low coherence interferometry autofocus system, which is of major interest in combination with TDI (time delay integration) imaging, confocal and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.

Abstract: Disclosed are several technical approaches of using low coherence interferometry techniques to create an autofocus apparatus for optical microscopy. These approaches allow automatic focusing on thin structures that are positioned closely to reflective surfaces and behind refractive material like a cover slip, and automated adjustment of focus position into the sample region without disturbance from reflection off adjacent surfaces. The measurement offset induced by refraction of material that covers the sample is compensated for. Proposed are techniques of an instrument that allows the automatic interchange of imaging objectives in a low coherence interferometry autofocus system, which is of major interest in combination with TDI (time delay integration) imaging, confocal and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.

Abstract: An autofocus apparatus is capable of detecting the position of a sample on a microscope. The sample may consist of a specimen mounted between a microscope slide and coverslip or specimens within a well plate. The device tracks the position of a sample by identifying refractive index boundaries through Fresnel reflections. A change in refractive index can correspond to the top and bottom of a coverslip, the top of a slide, the bottom of a well plate or the bottom of a well within a well plate. Using optical coherence tomography (OCT) these reflections are used to form a depth scan of the sample which gives the positions of these surfaces relative to the objective. The device functions as an autofocus system by compensating for any variation of the position of the sample from the focal plane of the objective.

Abstract: Disclosed are several technical approaches of using low coherence interferometry techniques to create an autofocus apparatus for optical microscopy. These approaches allow automatic focusing on thin structures that are positioned closely to reflective surfaces and behind refractive material like a cover slip, and automated adjustment of focus position into the sample region without disturbance from reflection off adjacent surfaces. The measurement offset induced by refraction of material that covers the sample is compensated for. Proposed are techniques of an instrument that allows the automatic interchange of imaging objectives in a low coherence interferometry autofocus system, which is of major interest in combination with TDI (time delay integration) imaging, confocal and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.

Abstract: A testing slide for microscopes equipped with water immersion objectives. The slide has a chamber containing a solid with an index of refraction similar to that of water. Impregnated in this solid are fluorescent beads, scattered evenly throughout the material.

Abstract: An autofocus apparatus includes, in one embodiment, a light source; a splitter; a fiber optic circulator; an optical collimator; a balance detector; and a microprocessor. The fiber optic circulator couples one of the split light signals at a first port, to the optical collimator at a second port, and to the balance detector at the third port. The optical collimator directs the light beam from the fiber optic circulator onto a sample through a Dichroic mirror and a microscope objective. The balance detector uses another one of the split light signals as an input, and converts a light signal, reflected off of a substrate the sample is placed on, into an analog voltage signal. The microprocessor processes the output of the balance detector and position feedbacks from an adjustable microscopy stage to generate a command for moving the position of the adjustable microscopy stage to achieve a desired focus.

Abstract: An autofocus apparatus is capable of detecting the position of a sample on a microscope. The sample may consist of a specimen mounted between a microscope slide and coverslip or specimens within a well plate. The device tracks the position of a sample by identifying refractive index boundaries through Fresnel reflections. A change in refractive index can correspond to the top and bottom of a coverslip, the top of a slide, the bottom of a well plate or the bottom of a well within a well plate. Using optical coherence tomography (OCT) these reflections are used to form a depth scan of the sample which gives the positions of these surfaces relative to the objective. The device functions as an autofocus system by compensating for any variation of the position of the sample from the focal plane of the objective.