Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of microscopy by a three or more photon excitation technique of a target material containing molecules which are excitable by photons of a characteristic energy comprising the steps of: illuminating said material with a beam of intense, subpicosecond pulses of laser light comprising photons of an energy approximately 1/n of said characteristic energy, where n equals a number of photons to be absorbed by said material and is greater than or equal to three; and focusing said illumination within said material to produce an illumination intensity sufficiently high to produce molecular excitation by simultaneous absorption of at least three of said incident illuminating photons.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of microscopy by a three or more photon excitation technique of a target material containing molecules which are excitable by photons of a characteristic energy comprising the steps of: illuminating said material with a beam of intense, subpicosecond pulses of laser light comprising photons of an energy approximately 1/n of said characteristic energy, where n equals a number of photons to be absorbed by said material and is greater than or equal to three; and focusing said illumination within said material to produce an illumination intensity sufficiently high to produce molecular excitation by simultaneous absorption of at least three of said incident illuminating photons.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said material includes caged biologically active molecules, said illumination intensity being sufficient to release caged biologically active compounds by simultaneous absorption of n incident photons, each of energy equal to approximately 1/n of said characteristic energy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said material includes fluorescent molecules, said illumination intensity being sufficient to produce fluorescence of said material by simultaneous absorption of n incident photons, each of energy equal to approximately 1/n of said characteristic energy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said step of focusing said illumination further comprises focusing said illumination to a small focal volume within said material to produce illumination intensity sufficiently high only at said focal volume to produce molecular excitation by simultaneous absorption of said n of said incident illuminating photons.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 4, further including the steps of: scanning said beam to scan said focal volume through said material; and detecting the fluorescence produced by said material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said material is a tissue, and said molecular excitation occurs by simultaneous absorption of at least three of said incident illuminating photons by intrinsic chromophores, extrinsically provided chromophores or intrinsic fluorophores within said tissue.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
109 words
An apparatus for laser scanning fluorescence microscopy of a target material including a fluorescent component responsive to excitation by photons of a characteristic energy to produce fluorescence photons, said apparatus comprising: stage means for receiving said target material; at least one source of subpicosecond coherent light pulses comprised of energy 1/n of said characteristic energy, where n is greater than or equal to three; means for focusing said coherent light pulses on said target material, thereby causing said target material to absorb at least three photons and produce said fluorescence photons; detector means for detecting said fluorescence photon; and means for directing said fluorescence photons to said detector means.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
109 words
An apparatus for laser scanning fluorescence microscopy of a target material including a fluorescent component responsive to excitation by photons of a characteristic energy to produce fluorescence photons, said apparatus comprising: stage means for receiving said target material; at least one source of subpicosecond coherent light pulses comprised of energy 1/n of said characteristic energy, where n is greater than or equal to three; means for focusing said coherent light pulses on said target material, thereby causing said target material to absorb at least three photons and produce said fluorescence photons; detector means for detecting said fluorescence photon; and means for directing said fluorescence photons to said detector means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further including scanning means for scanning said light pulses through said material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said detector means comprises a confocal photomultiplier tube.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said detector means comprises a Fourier plane detector.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said detector means comprises an imaging detector.