The motivation of this thesis was to develop efficient and improved optical excitation sources for applications in confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM), with emphasis on extending the wavelength coverage of existing laser sources using nonlinear optical methods. This included quantitative and qualitative structural analysis of periodically poled nonlinear materials using MPLSM. These materials, used in nonlinear optical frequency conversion, rely upon consistent poling lengths for quasi-phase matched operation. The described technique provided a non-destructive assessment of inhomogeneities within the crystal structure, which may impact upon frequency conversion efficiency processes. Following this analysis, innovative pump geometries were investigated for ultra-short pulsed singly resonant synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillators (SPOPOs). Through application of a novel bi-directional pump geometry, an increase in peak power of up to 90 % was observed, with peak powers in excess of 18.8 kW generated. This substantially outperformed any pump geometry previously implemented. This source was then applied to three photon laser scanning microscopy. Next, a visible, wavelength tunable, ultra-short pulsed source based on sum frequency mixing was developed for MPLSM at wavelengths shorter than 700nm. With average output power of ~ 150 mW, the source was applied to MPLSM of biological and non-biological UV excitable samples and results were compared with the longer wavelength Ti:Sappphire system. Finally, a SC source and Ti:Sapphire laser were applied for optical beam induced current (OBIC) microscopy of an InGaN LED to provide information regarding the spectral response of the diode and imaging of the active region. This provided additional information regarding inhomogeneity and hence efficiency.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:570595 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Norris, Greg |
| Publisher | University of Strathclyde |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://oleg.lib.strath.ac.uk:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=16932 |
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