text: Another approach to improving media sensitivity has been to employ resonant two-photon absorption (also known as "1+1" or "sequential" two–photon absorbance). Nonresonant two-photon absorption (as is generally used) is weak since in order for excitation to take place, the two exciting photons must arrive at the chromophore at almost exactly the same time. This is because the chromophore is unable to interact with a single photon alone. However, if the chromophore has an energy level corresponding to the (weak) absorption of one photon then this may be used as a stepping stone, allowing more freedom in the arrival time of photons and therefore a much higher sensitivity. However, this approach results in a loss of nonlinearity compared to nonresonant two–photon absorbance (since each two-photon absorption step is essentially linear), and therefore risks compromising the 3D resolution of the system.