This patent relates to an endoscope or microscope system with (i) a suction means for sample fixing and light transmission and collection and (ii) a synchronisation of the switching means (generally a shutter to the photodetector) so that in periods of acquisition the shutter is open and in periods of illumination the shutter occludes light from the photodetector and (iii) a filter to reduce ambient illumination light from the photodetector. These attributes for the system are required when a two-photon pulse laser illumination is used and the pulse broadening of the light in the fibre is minimised by the use of chirped fibre gratings to compress and reflect back the blue shorter and slower travelling, wavelength components of each pulse to ahead of the red, longer and faster travelling wavelength components of each pulse, to the coupler.
