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We had a similar problem in our home-built 2-photon that uses a biorad
scanner. The horizontal stripes were greatly minimized when we
unplugged the audio speakers of the nearby computers - in other words, do
take
care of electrical noise pick ups.
Sudipta

On Fri, 8 Aug 2003, Ian Montgomery wrote:

> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>
> Olaf,
>          Had a similar problem. Turned out to be vibration from the
> specimen carriage on the stage. Fixed that and the problem went away.
> Ian.
>
> >X-Sender: [log in to unmask]
> >Date:         Fri, 8 Aug 2003 14:12:12 +0200
> >Reply-To: Confocal Microscopy List <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sender: Confocal Microscopy List <[log in to unmask]>
> >From: Olaf Selchow <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: Leica SP2 with 2p setup (Coherent Mira 900)
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> >http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
> >
> >Hello confocal colleagues...
> >
> >I have a problem with our Leica SP2 system: The images show thin
> >dark, horizontal stripes. Sometimes more and sometimes less. I
> >couldn't figure out yet when the stripes are stronger and when not.
> >Sometimes they seem to have gone completely. It looks a little like a
> >phase-problem with the line scans. But I couldn't fix it by adjusting
> >the phase-correction.
> >
> >One more hint I got is the following: The stripes were seen the first
> >time after the 2Photon system (IR laser Coherent Mira 900, EOM and
> >all the extra bits and pieces) has been added to the standard SP2.
> >Unfortunately this has been before I joined the lab. So I can not
> >confirm this myself. Before that the images were fine (that's what
> >the older colleagues here in the lab say).
> >
> >Independent from the 2P system I thought that the stripes could come
> >from some noise on the electricity supply. We're a big institute and
> >I don't know what other equipment is used in the building... and as I
> >said I couldn't correlate it with any external parameter like
> >daytime, weekday or something else.
> >
> >The images are sufficiently good quality to interpret. But they are
> >no good for publication....
> >
> >Has anybody had such a problem before and/or have an idea about how
> >to solve it?
> >I'd like to avaid to call (and pay) the Leica service when it's maybe
> >just a very easy thing that I can do myself.
> >
> >Thanks in advance for your help!
> >
> >Olaf
> >
> >--
> >
> >  --------------------------------------------
> >| Dr. Olaf Selchow                           |
> >| SFB 495 Z1 - Central Microscopy Facility   |
> >| Institute for Cell Biology und Immunology  |
> >| University of Stuttgart                    |
> >| Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany   |
> >| T: +49 711 685 8209, Fax: +49 711 685 7484 |
> >| email: [log in to unmask]    |
> >  --------------------------------------------
>
> Dr. Ian Montgomery,
> Histotechnology,
> Graham Kerr Building,
> Institute of Biomedical & Life Sciences,
> University of Glasgow,
> Glasgow,
> G12 8QQ.
> Tel: 0141 339 8855
> Office: 4652
> Lab: 6644.
> Pager: 07625 702883
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]