Development of a frequency mixing protocol on a short-wave infrared multiphoton microscope

This thesis presents the implementation and first testing of a frequency-mixing acquisition scheme in a short-wave infrared multiphoton microscope. The project aims to extend conventional harmonic imaging with additional signals produced by nonlinear mixing between two synchronized excitation beams, improving the optical selectivity in complex samples. After the installation of the new components, the characterization of the system and measurements on representative test samples confirmed that the upgraded microscope can generate and detect mixing signals alongside standard harmonics. The new signals will permit the extraction of more information from the samples, allowing one to differentiate between structures that normally would have produced indistinguishable responses.