Molecular vibration imaging in the fingerprint region by use of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy with a collinear configuration.

We have developed a new coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy system with a collinear configuration for use in the fingerprint region. The system consists of a picosecond laser system and a transmission-type laser scanning microscope without a pinhole in front of the detector. The observable Raman-shift region is 900-1750 cm(-1), the spectral resolution is 30cm(-1), and the spatial resolution is smaller than 1 mum in the lateral direction and 3.2 mum in the depth direction, with objectives with a numerical aperture of 0.65. CARS spectra and images of polystyrene beads are demonstrated, and CARS imaging of a viable yeast cell is attempted.