Two-photon fluorescence endoscopy with a micro-optic scanning head

A major obstacle in the race to develop two-photon fluorescence endoscopy is the use of complicated bulk optics to transmit an ultrashort-pulsed laser beam and return the emitted fluorescence signal. We describe an all-fiber two-photon fluorescence microendoscope based on a single-mode optical fiber coupler, a microprism, and a gradient-index rod lens. It is found that the new endoscope exhibits an axial resolution of $3.2 \mathit{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ and is capable of imaging transverse cross sections of internal cylindrical structures as small as approximately 3.0 mm in diameter. This device demonstrates the potential for developing a real-time diagnostic tool for biomedical research without the need for surgical biopsy and may find applications in photodynamic therapy, microsurgery, and early cancer detection.