two confocal systems on a single multiphoton laser?

[Phillips, Thomas E.]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share a single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system on an inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom

[Jim Broughman]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Peter Friedl at MD Anderson Cancer Center has a setup like you described.
I saw it on a tour of his lab - it was certainly not a simple
configuration, and required a nearly full time technician to maintain the
beam path of the lasers. (The position was recently advertised on the list
serv @
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1203&L=confocalmicroscopy&P=1521).


Jim

On Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 4:16 PM, Phillips, Thomas E.
<[hidden email]>wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share a
> single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system on an
> inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame dedicated
> for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually accomplished this,
> especially in a multi-user environment, I would appreciate hearing about
> it. Thanks, Tom
>

[Johannes Helm]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Good evening,

this is not a problem provided you have both scanning microscope systems
and the laser installed on one large optical table. You may then install a
lambda/2 plate and a polarization beam splitter cube or any other
polarization prisma, e.g. Foster, Glan Thomson, which is able to withstand
the considerable field strengths of the short pulsed laser light. One
issue could be that the fraction of the beam which does not pass the prism
straight ahead might slightly suffer some focussing effects because of the
less than perfect flatness of the lateral prism exit surface. Also, the
lambda/2 plate and the prism will induce additional GVD.
Make sure to not align the lambda/2 plate or the prism too perfectly. Any
back reflections of even small portions of the laser beam into the cavity
may cause the laser to stop mode locking! It may also be advisable to have
an iris diaphragm with a minimum opening as small as 1mm installed as the
very first optical element behind the output coupler.

The installation is not a complicated issue. For safety reasons, it might
be advisable to install the lambda/2 plate in a motor rotatable stage so
that you do not have to touch any optical elements physically for
adjustment purposes. It might also be a good idea to control both the
laser and the motorized rotation stage from one "neutral" PC and not from
one of the LSM system PCs.

I have done this on a number of multi-system setups for non linear laser
scanning microscopy and there has not been any problem so far with these.
Obviously, you may use the same technique to share the beams of two
lasers, one for imaging on two systems, another one for chemical
activation purposes on two systems.

Best wishes,

Johannes

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share a
> single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system on an
> inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame
> dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually
> accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would
> appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom
>

--
P. Johannes Helm

Voice: ([phone] (office)
Fax: [phone] (office)

[Johannes Helm]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Sorry, I did it wrong, again.
It's not a "Glan Thomson" prism but a Glan Thompson prism (including a
"p", which I frequently forget).

Best,
Johannes

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share a
> single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system on an
> inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame
> dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually
> accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would
> appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom
>

--
P. Johannes Helm

Voice: ([phone] (office)
Fax: [phone] (office)

[Cameron Nowell]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Hi Thomas,

We have exactly what you are talking about. We have a single MaiTai
DeepSee hooked up to two Olympus FV1000 systems (one inverted and one
upright). The IR induction is pretty simple to set up. Both IR induction
paths for the microscopes are standard (the inverted one was custom
built based on Olympus designs for political reasons - the list doesn't
need to know about this). Infornt of the output of the MaiTai is a
mirror on a precision motorized stage. When the stage is homed, the
mirror is in place to bounce the laser into one light path (in our case
the inverted) and when it is moved to the extreme of its travel the
laser goes straight into the induction path for the upright scope.

All of this takes up a fair bit of space obviously but ti does allow us
to have two multiphoton platforms that can also be used for single
photon imaging as well. We have even had people doing multi on one
platform and single on the other at the same time.

I am pretty sure that all the big four now offer this type of
configuration as an option when purchasing it.


Cheers

Cam



Cameron J. Nowell
Microscopy Manager
Centre for Advanced Microscopy
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Melbourne - Parkville Branch
PO Box 2008
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Victoria, 3050
AUSTRALIA
Office: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Facility Website
Linked In Profile



-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]]
On Behalf Of Phillips, Thomas E.
Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012 7:16 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: two confocal systems on a single multiphoton laser?

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share
a single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system
on an inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame
dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually
accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would
appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom

[Cameron Nowell]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

I should add that ours is a multi-user facility with a user base of
around 60. Also the laser paths are quite stable, I tend to do an
aligment check every three months or so when I realize I haven't done
one for a while. Only once in 4 years has it needed more than the
slightest tweak.

-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]]
On Behalf Of Phillips, Thomas E.
Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012 7:16 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: two confocal systems on a single multiphoton laser?

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share
a single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system
on an inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame
dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually
accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would
appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom

[Armstrong, Brian]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Hi Tom, I concur with Johannes (could not have said it better), and with Cam in that our system is very stable. Key points include getting a separate PC system to operate the LASER, and the purchase of a large optical table (ours is 5x8ft).
A minor problem we have in our multi-user facility is that two people working at the same time can disturb each other by moving the optical table. I guess that there is not a practical way around this minor annoyance.

Cheers,  

Brian D Armstrong PhD
Assistant Research Professor
Director, Light Microscopy Core
Beckman Research Institute
City of Hope
Dept of Neuroscience
1450 E Duarte Rd
Duarte, CA 91010
626-256-4673 x62872

http://www.cityofhope.org/research/support/Light-Microscopy-Digital-Imaging/Pages/default.aspx


-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Johannes Helm
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2012 3:23 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: PS

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Sorry, I did it wrong, again.
It's not a "Glan Thomson" prism but a Glan Thompson prism (including a
"p", which I frequently forget).

Best,
Johannes

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share a
> single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system on an
> inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame
> dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually
> accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would
> appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom
>

--
P. Johannes Helm

Voice: ([phone] (office)
Fax: [phone] (office)


---------------------------------------------------------------------
*SECURITY/CONFIDENTIALITY WARNING:
This message and any attachments are intended solely for the individual or entity to which they are addressed. This communication may contain information that is privileged, confidential, or exempt from disclosure under applicable law (e.g., personal health information, research data, financial information). Because this e-mail has been sent without encryption, individuals other than the intended recipient may be able to view the information, forward it to others or tamper with the information without the knowledge or consent of the sender. If you are not the intended recipient, or the employee or person responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying of the communication is strictly prohibited. If you received the communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by replying to this message and deleting the message and any accompanying files from your system. If, due to the security risks, you do not wish to receive further communications via e-mail, please reply to this message and inform the sender that you do not wish to receive further e-mail from the sender. (fpc5p)
---------------------------------------------------------------------

[Pascal Weber]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

It always depend of your brand microscope and the real configuration. Infact
the old microscope ( like LSM510) you might move the head and switch your
laser with just a miror. It's what i did during 6 years. But with the new model it
is not possible (too heavy) so you need two systems. Infact if you don't
perform polarisation in 2P. It's better to use a switch miror. I always add a
lambda2 in the beampath (Zeiss) nand a lens. I never share the laser between
the two stands.

[Guy Cox-2]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Just out of curiosity, did you consider using a 50/50 beam splitter?  That would mean no moving parts, and more stable alignment.  I'd have thought that modern TiS lasers are powerful enough that both scopes would get enough.  That way two users could do MP at once - at least if they could agree on a wavelength!

                                       Guy

                         

Optical Imaging Techniques in Cell Biology
by Guy Cox    CRC Press / Taylor & Francis
     http://www.guycox.com/optical.htm
______________________________________________
Associate Professor Guy Cox, MA, DPhil(Oxon)
Aust. Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis, F09,
University of Sydney, NSW 2006
______________________________________________
Phone [phone]     Fax [phone]
Mobile [phone]
______________________________________________
      http://www.guycox.net
 


-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Cameron Nowell
Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012 8:32 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: two confocal systems on a single multiphoton laser?

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Hi Thomas,

We have exactly what you are talking about. We have a single MaiTai
DeepSee hooked up to two Olympus FV1000 systems (one inverted and one
upright). The IR induction is pretty simple to set up. Both IR induction
paths for the microscopes are standard (the inverted one was custom
built based on Olympus designs for political reasons - the list doesn't
need to know about this). Infornt of the output of the MaiTai is a
mirror on a precision motorized stage. When the stage is homed, the
mirror is in place to bounce the laser into one light path (in our case
the inverted) and when it is moved to the extreme of its travel the
laser goes straight into the induction path for the upright scope.

All of this takes up a fair bit of space obviously but ti does allow us
to have two multiphoton platforms that can also be used for single
photon imaging as well. We have even had people doing multi on one
platform and single on the other at the same time.

I am pretty sure that all the big four now offer this type of
configuration as an option when purchasing it.


Cheers

Cam



Cameron J. Nowell
Microscopy Manager
Centre for Advanced Microscopy
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Melbourne - Parkville Branch
PO Box 2008
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Victoria, 3050
AUSTRALIA
Office: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Facility Website
Linked In Profile



-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]]
On Behalf Of Phillips, Thomas E.
Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012 7:16 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: two confocal systems on a single multiphoton laser?

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share
a single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system
on an inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame
dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually
accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would
appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom

[Mark Cannell]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

For whatever it's worth I've done it with a simple metal 50/50 beam splitter... and both microscopes were on the same (big) table.  If that is not the case you could probably do it  with a fiber coupler and pulse stretch followed by recompression. When both were on the same (big) table, working on both microscopes at the same time was quite awkward due to the problem of people moving the microscope(s) -i.e. people need to touch the microscope gently and not lean on the table! I'd guess this could be a BIG problem in a multiuser unless you are a stable building (basement) and can use local microscope vibration control so that a free space coupled beam does not become misaligned.

HTH

Mark

On 6/06/2012, at 10:16 PM, Phillips, Thomas E. wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share a single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system on an inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom

[Johannes Helm]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Hi, Guy,

as you write, a 50/50 BS is a straight forward solution with no moving
parts a.s.o.
A problem surfaces when one needs to select a wavelength at the edge of
the tuning range. Then, power can become an issue, specifically if there
are further optical elements - EOM, beam expander, spatial filter,
dichroics a.s.o. -on the way to the preparation.
This had been a problem, here, and that's why I went for the more flexible
solution with the lambda/2 plate.

Best,
Johannes

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Just out of curiosity, did you consider using a 50/50 beam splitter?  That
> would mean no moving parts, and more stable alignment.  I'd have thought
> that modern TiS lasers are powerful enough that both scopes would get
> enough.  That way two users could do MP at once - at least if they could
> agree on a wavelength!
>
>                                        Guy
>
>
>
> Optical Imaging Techniques in Cell Biology
> by Guy Cox    CRC Press / Taylor & Francis
>      http://www.guycox.com/optical.htm
> ______________________________________________
> Associate Professor Guy Cox, MA, DPhil(Oxon)
> Aust. Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis, F09,
> University of Sydney, NSW 2006
> ______________________________________________
> Phone [phone]     Fax [phone]
> Mobile [phone]
> ______________________________________________
>       http://www.guycox.net
>  
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]]
> On Behalf Of Cameron Nowell
> Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012 8:32 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: two confocal systems on a single multiphoton laser?
>
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Hi Thomas,
>
> We have exactly what you are talking about. We have a single MaiTai
> DeepSee hooked up to two Olympus FV1000 systems (one inverted and one
> upright). The IR induction is pretty simple to set up. Both IR induction
> paths for the microscopes are standard (the inverted one was custom
> built based on Olympus designs for political reasons - the list doesn't
> need to know about this). Infornt of the output of the MaiTai is a
> mirror on a precision motorized stage. When the stage is homed, the
> mirror is in place to bounce the laser into one light path (in our case
> the inverted) and when it is moved to the extreme of its travel the
> laser goes straight into the induction path for the upright scope.
>
> All of this takes up a fair bit of space obviously but ti does allow us
> to have two multiphoton platforms that can also be used for single
> photon imaging as well. We have even had people doing multi on one
> platform and single on the other at the same time.
>
> I am pretty sure that all the big four now offer this type of
> configuration as an option when purchasing it.
>
>
> Cheers
>
> Cam
>
>
>
> Cameron J. Nowell
> Microscopy Manager
> Centre for Advanced Microscopy
> Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Melbourne - Parkville Branch
> PO Box 2008
> Royal Melbourne Hospital
> Victoria, 3050
> AUSTRALIA
> Office: [phone]
> Mobile: [phone]
> Fax: [phone]
> Facility Website
> Linked In Profile
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]]
> On Behalf Of Phillips, Thomas E.
> Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012 7:16 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: two confocal systems on a single multiphoton laser?
>
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share
> a single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system
> on an inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame
> dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually
> accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would
> appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom
>

--
P. Johannes Helm

Voice: ([phone] (office)
Fax: [phone] (office)

[Craig Brideau]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

I'd recommend using a Glan-Taylor over a Glan-Thompson.  The 'Thompson has
cement between the wedges.  I've found through hard experience that the
cement can sometimes degrade over time and laser exposure, eventually
wrecking the cube.  The 'Taylor has the prisms air spaced, with
no intervening cement, so they are more durable.  Finally, there is a third
type called a Glan-Laser, which is a Glan-Taylor made out of the highest
grade optical materials.  They're expensive, but they have almost no
defects so they are the least perturbing to any beam passing through them.
 Normally they are only necessary for high power/energy applications, so
most Ti:Saph users can get away with just the plain Glan-Taylor.

Craig



On Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 4:23 PM, Johannes Helm <[hidden email]>wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Sorry, I did it wrong, again.
> It's not a "Glan Thomson" prism but a Glan Thompson prism (including a
> "p", which I frequently forget).
>
> Best,
> Johannes
>
>
> > *****
> > To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> > *****
> >
> > Am I correct in assuming that there is no simple practical way to share a
> > single multiphoton laser with two confocal systems (e.g., one system on
> an
> > inverted frame for routine work and the other on an upright frame
> > dedicated for electrophysiology work)? If someone has actually
> > accomplished this, especially in a multi-user environment, I would
> > appreciate hearing about it. Thanks, Tom
> >
>
>
> --
> P. Johannes Helm
>
> Voice:  ([phone] (office)
> Fax:    [phone] (office)
>