Oct 19 2009
Nikon Instruments, Inc. today unveiled its new A1R-MP Multiphoton and Confocal microscope system for high speed, high resolution and high sensitivity multiphoton excitation and confocal fluorescence imaging. The A1R-MP allows for imaging deeper, longer, sharper and brighter while remaining cell-friendly with fast resonant imaging at up to 420 fps.
Nikon's A1R-MP is a unique multiphoton imaging system featuring a high resolution galvanometer scanner and a high speed resonant scanner that is capable of frame rates from 30 fps at 512 X 512 pixels to as fast as 420 fps in band scan mode. New 4 channel non-descanned detectors with higher sensitivity, reduced dark current and broad spectral range allow for real time unmixing of closely spaced probes for accurate and high-contrast spectral imaging. This is especially important in multiphoton imaging because of the overlap of emission spectra of probes and autofluorescence, which is often unavoidable when using a single laser line.
"By combining multiphoton imaging and resonant scanning, the A1R-MP can image deep within a specimen and image at video rates for full frame images or even faster for 32 line band scans," said Stan Schwartz, vice president, Nikon Instruments, Inc. "This system is particularly well-suited for imaging deep within brain tissue where it is not possible to cut thin sections and keep circuitry intact to study neural phenomenon."
The Nikon A1R-MP also features a newly developed one click auto-alignment of the infrared femtosecond Ti:sapphire multiphoton excitation laser allowing for fast set up, wavelength changes, GVD pre-chirping compensation and total ease of use. In addition, this device completely encloses the beam within the instrument from the laser to the objective lens, a huge improvement in the operating safety of multiphoton imaging systems.
Furthermore, the newly introduced Lambda S objective series provides the highest numerical apertures (NA) for water immersion objectives yet. The CFI APO LWD 40X WI Lambda S objective with NA 1.15 and a working distance of 610 microns incorporates Nikon's new Nano Crystal Coating. Nano Crystal Coating provides high transmissions over an expanded correction range from the violet through the near IR range, a true innovation for high performance multiphoton imaging.
The latest version of NIS-Elements C Version 3.1 software orchestrates all microscope control and multiphoton acquisition with the capabilities of acquiring data at high speed, control of various motorized devices. This includes fast piezoelectric Z focus positioners and XY translational stages, input/output triggers and flexible experiment design.
The A1R-MP confocal scanner on the inverted Ti-E microscope platform is now available. The upright A1R-MP on the focusing nosepiece upright FN-1 stand will be available starting spring 2010.