BLIQ Sparq Optical Sectioning

Robust optical sectioning with superior speed and contrast.

Optical sectioning reveals 3D information through sequential imaging of adjacent sample planes. Sectioning relies on rejection of out-of-focus elements from adjacent planes that tend to confuse the end result, and high-quality results can be costly. The future of optical sectioning belongs to systems that provide high contrast and resolution at a low cost. Supercharge your widefield fluorescence imaging with SPARQ and see clearly how Bliq’s team is improving microscopy. Going light on your budget has never looked so good!

Bliq Photonics’ Sparq is a reliable and compact system that enables any widefield microscope to perform high contrast non-scanning optical sectioning up to 10 frames per second at 2048×2048. Sparq is available as a complete imaging system (from lasers to microscope to camera) and as an upgrade to widefield imaging systems. Based on patented HiLo technology, the Sparq module produces sharper and more high resolution images from live or fixed samples. The result is a dramatic improvement in image contrast and spatial resolution that rivals the performance of more costly laser scanning technologies.

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Maximum intensity projection of a mouse brain hippocampus (100 µm) with 0.5 µm steps using Sparq (left) or LSM (right). Courtesy of Jerome Mertz, Boston University.

Upgrade your widefield microscope with optical sectioning.

Cost-effectively improve the axial resolution and optical sectioning of your existing widefield microscope using the Sparq module. Bliq Photonics’ compact solution includes a laser combiner with up to 7 excitation wavelengths, the Sparq module, a 2048 by 2048 sCMOS camera, an Apple computer/monitor, and Bliq’s Nirvana imaging software. Importantly, the Sparq add-on still allows your microscope to perform conventional widefield imaging.

Features
Applications

Commercial system upgrade
Light sources	1 to 6 different laser sources (visible to near-IR : 400 to 785 nm)
	Customer can also provide its own laser sources*

Filters	Single pass filters for each laser
	Multiple wavelengths filter (for increased speed)
	Customer can also provide its own filters*

Detection	100 FPS sCMOS camera, 2048 by 2048, QE 82%
	Possibility of 2-channel simultaneous acquisition at 100 FPS
	Customer can also provide its own camera*

Microscope stand	Upright or inverted*

Stage	Motorized XY axis (software-controlled) with sample holder (slides, Petri dishes, plates, etc.)
	Customer can also provide its own stage*

Sparq trigger	Manual
	Possibility of integration into a Windows-base system*

Computer	iMac Pro, 4.2 GHz, 128 GB SDRAM, 4 TB SSD, 27″ 5K display (5120 by 2880)
	Customer can also provide its own computer*

*Compatibility of the equipment cannot be guaranteed and must be verified with Bliq Photonics’ team.