Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy

Summary form only given. We report a new nonlinear optical method for high resolution microscopy which is based on a well established technique, coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS). The contrast mechanism for image formation depends on vibrational properties of the sample. This method is complementary to a variety of optical microscopies that have emerged recently, which use either linear or non-linear light interactions. Unlike confocal and two-photon fluorescence microscopy, native fluorescence or stain is not required, yet we share the capability of acquiring a stack of images to reconstruct three dimensional structure.