Simultaneous spatial and temporal focusing for tissue ablation

Simultaneous spatial and temporal focusing (SSTF) of femtosecond pulses was originally conceived as a novel method for increasing the field-of-view in multiphoton imaging applications. Multiphoton imaging with SSTF deviated from traditional nonlinear systems in that it enabled the use of low numerical aperture beams to be used to increase the field-of-view, but retain the axial sectioning of a high numerical aperture beam. In this manner efficiency gains in the imaging process were achieved without compromising axial resolution [1,2].