Session C4: Optics
1:30 PM–2:54 PM, Friday, October 17, 2008
Union East, 3rd Floor Room: Elkins
Chair: Felicia Manciu, The University of Texas at El Paso
Abstract ID: BAPS.2008.TS4CF.C4.6
Abstract: C4.00006 : Increasing Fluorescence Signals by Pulsing the Excitation Laser
2:30 PM–2:42 PM
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Abstract 
Authors:
Cheryl Nielson
(University of Utah)
Eyal Shafran
(University of Utah)
Ben Mangum
(University of Utah)
Chun Mu
(University of Utah)
Jordan Gerton
(University of Utah)
After photoexcitation, fluorescent molecules (fluorophores) can decay radiatively from the singlet excited state back to the ground state, or non-radiatively via a metastable triplet state. The triplet state has been associated with photobleaching whereby an irreversible photo-induced chemical change in the molecule suppresses further fluorescence. Photobleaching ultimately limits the number of fluorescence photons that can be emitted by a single fluorophore, and thus reduces the sensitivity of fluorescence microscopy. Recently it has been shown that if the triplet state is allowed to relax in the dark, the photobleaching rate can be reduced by up to a factor of $\sim $20. This was demonstrated using a picosecond pulsed laser with a variable repetition rate. We are investigating whether such a dark-state relaxation scheme can be implemented with a CW laser that is chopped on and off with microsecond-scale pulses using an acousto-optic modulator. This scheme is much simpler since it does not require the use of a pulsed laser. Preliminary data show that our dark-state relaxation scheme does lead to reduced photobleaching, and thus an increase in total fluorescence signal.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2008.TS4CF.C4.6