High-speed molecular vibrational imaging with stimulated Raman scattering and its applications

Abstract

Raman microscopy is regarded as a powerful tool of biological imaging based on molecular vibrational signatures, providing us with a way for accessing to what has been difficult to see with previous analysis techniques. Among several techniques of Raman microscopy, stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy allows for high-speed Raman imaging with high sensitivity. We have recently developed a high-speed spectral imaging system with SRS, where Raman images are taken at a video rate (30 frames/s), while the vibrational frequency is changed in a frame-by-frame manner. This system is useful for wide-field imaging as well as imaging of moving samples without motion artifacts. I'll introduce our recent applications of SRS microscopy to imaging of tissues and cell metabolites.