Nov 24 2008
A 25x, NA 1.05 water immersion (WI) objective specifically designed for multiphoton imaging offers researchers unprecedented performance when used with the Olympus FluoView® FV1000-MPE multiphoton microscope system. The objective, optimized for and dedicated to the multiphoton system, offers a super-wide field of view, flexibility for patch clamping and cover slip use, outstanding infrared (IR) performance, and a deep-imaging correction collar for imaging far below the surface of living specimens. It can achieve up to 10 times the optical performance of similar objectives already on the market.
The objective has been designed specifically for 2-photon applications. Unlike other low magnification objectives, this new objective is designed so the exit pupil diameter is completely filled with the scanned excitation laser beam. The result is far greater brightness during fluorescence excitation combined with more efficient collection, for greatly enhanced instrument sensitivity and higher signal-to-noise ratios. The combination of magnification and numerical aperture has been optimized for maximum multiphoton performance. In addition, new optical coatings allow the objective to provide outstanding performance in the IR range, with up to 82 percent transmittance from 400 to 1000nm.
With a working distance of 2mm and a 35-degree angle available for patch clamping, the objective is excellent for neurophysiology and related applications. In addition, with researchers now seeking a wider field of view (FOV) when imaging deep into specimens, it boasts a super-wide 27.5 FOV.
Because the new objective is designed for deep-specimen imaging, it delivers maximum detection efficiency, and has been shown to collect usable signal from hundreds of microns below the surface. A correction collar is available to compensate for the refractive index mismatch that can occur between the dipping medium (water, at n=1.3) and the specimen (at about n= 1.36-1.4), allowing excellent resolution even more than 500 microns deep, depending on the specimen.