A prototype cost-effective ultrafast laser has been assembled, delivering up to 1W average power at a pulse duration of < 1.5 ps operating at 975 nm and 500 MHZ repetition rate. The dimensions of the system are only 220 x 80 x 65 mm, virtually an order of magnitude smaller than conventional systems with similar capability. This performance is highly attractive for numerous application areas, for example in nonlinear microscopy, laser ultrasonics, or optical sampling. The suitability of this laser for Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence has been shown by imaging in vivo C. elegans expressing GFP in neuronal cell bodies and axons (images below).

In addition to nonlinear imaging, cell surgery results have been also been obtained and published using this laser design. The FAST-DOT consortium has demonstrated tracking and selective destructive surgery of subcellular components and studies are underway to establish an identification protocol of different cellular components with multi-photon techniques using the same excitation source. It is very important that these laser interventions do not irreversibly damage cells and cell viability has been demonstrated.