Tunable, low-repetition-rate, cost-efficient femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser for nonlinear microscopy

We report on a broadly tunable, long-cavity Ti:sapphire laser oscillator being mode-locked in the net negative intracavity dispersion regime by Kerr-lens mode-locking, delivering tau (FWHM)< 300 fs pulses at 22 MHz repetition rate. The wavelength of the laser can be tuned over a 170 nm wide range between 712 nm and 882 nm. Having a typical pump power of 2.6 W, the maximum pulse peak power is 60 kW. Comparison of the reported laser with a standard, 76 MHz Ti:sapphire oscillator regarding two-photon excitation efficiency in a laser scanning microscope shows that the 22 MHz laser generates the same fluorescence signal at considerably, 1.82 times lower average power, which is expected to result in a reduced photothermal damage probability of biological samples. This fact along with the broad tunability and a low pump power requirement makes this cost-effective laser an ideal light source for nonlinear microscopy.