Evaluation of safe exposure time for two-photon microscopy imaging of acrylic-painted mock-ups

Year: 2025

Authors: Mattana S., Dal Fovo A., Baria E., Fontana R., Cicchi R.

Autors Affiliation: CNR, Ist Nazl Ott, Largo Enrico Fermi 6, I-50125 Florence, Italy; Univ Florence, Dept Phys & Astron, Via G Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; European Lab Nonlinear Spect LENS, Via Nello Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; CNR, Inst Chem Sci & Technol G Natta, SCITEC, Via Elce Sotto 8, I-06100 Perugia, Italy.

Abstract: Nonlinear optical microscopies are widely used in the biological and biomedical fields, as they are non-invasive techniques that permit the safe structural and morphological characterisation of cells and tissues. They are increasingly being used in the Cultural Heritage field because of their ability to overcome some limits of the well-established optical techniques. However, since nonlinear optical microscopies use pulsed laser sources with high peak power, their application in Cultural Heritage raises concerns due to artworks’ unique, priceless, and delicate nature. In this paper, we present a new method for evaluating the photo-induced damage when using a near-infrared femtosecond pulsed laser to perform two-photon excited fluorescence imaging of acrylic-painted mock-ups. In particular, we explore herein several irradiation conditions, varying the exposure time and excitation power, in order to provide useful experimental indications for safely imaging acrylic paints with two-photon microscopy.

Journal/Review: JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-PHOTONICS

Volume: 7 (2)      Pages from: 25001-1  to: 25001-8

More Information: This work has received funding from European Union-Next Generation EU in the framework of the research programs: PRIN 2022, Project 2022Y9YP9C (ALIAS) and PNRR H2IOSC (Humanities and Cultural Heritage Italian Open Science Cloud) Project (IR0000029), CUP_B63C22000730005 and from Regione Toscana (PORFSE2014-2020, ’Giovanisi’, Intervention Program ’CNR4C’, CUP B15J19001040004). The contents reflect only the authors’ view, and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
KeyWords: nonlinear optical microscopies; two-photon excited fluorescence; photo-damaging; acrylic paints; peak power
DOI: 10.1088/2515-7647/ada998