Two-photon PSF-engineered image scanning microscopy.

ABSTRACT

We present two-photon fluorescence image scanning microscopy (ISM) with engineered excitation and detection point-spread-functions enabling 3D imaging in a single 2D scan. This demonstration combines excitation using a holographic multispot array of focused femtosecond pulses with a high-efficiency single-helix PSF phase mask detection. Camera detection along with a multiview reconstruction algorithm allows volumetric imaging of biological samples over a depth of field spanning more than 1500 nm with an axial resolution of better than 400 nm. The nonlinear two-photon process improves sectioning and the inherent longer wavelengths increase the penetration depth in scattering samples. Our method extends the performance of 3D ISM towards thicker biological samples.