[Object] An optimal structure for spectroscopically analyzing a solid-phase or liquid-phase sample in a wavelength range of 1100 to 1200 nm by using supercontinuum light is provided.

[Solution] Supercontinuum light generated by producing nonlinear effects in light from a pulse laser source 1 by a nonlinear element 2 and having a wavelength range including 1100 nm or greater and 1200 nm or less is subjected to pulse stretching by a pulse stretching element 3, and a solid-phase or a liquid-phase sample S is irradiated with the supercontinuum light. In the supercontinuum light, elapsed time and wavelength within one pulse are in a one-to-one correspondence, and computation means 5 computes a spectrum based on a change over time in an output from a light receiver 4 that has received light that has passed through the sample S.

A method includes directing a first plurality of probe laser pulses through a sample, dividing each of the first plurality of probe laser pulses to generate a first interferogram, and generating first image data reproducible as a first phase image of the sample. A plurality of pump laser bursts are directed onto the sample to heat the sample. A second plurality of probe laser pulses are directed through the sample at a predetermined time delay. Each of the second plurality of probe laser pulses are divided to generate a second interferogram. Second image data is generated that is reproducible as a second phase image of the sample. A transient phase shift is determined in the second phase image relative to the first phase image. A vibrational spectroscopy property is determined of the sample based on the transient phase shift, thereby allowing an identification of chemical bond information of within the sample.

A high-sensitivity nanosecond to millisecond transient absorption spectrometer for measurements of miniscule signals under low excitation intensities includes an excitation source generating a >100 Hz, <5 ns pulsewidth excitation pulse for exciting a light absorbing sample, a probe light source for generating a high photon flux probe light beam producing an average irradiance greater than 1 μW m.sup.-2 nm.sup.-1 for measuring the transient absorption spectrum of the sample before and after excitation by the excitation source, a DC-coupled detector capable of measuring light for enabling synchronous measurement of both the transmission of the probe light beam and the change in transmission of the probe light beam between a signal with the excitation pulse present and a signal in the absence of the excitation pulse, and a digital oscilloscope with a trigger rearm time capable of collecting every trigger event at frequencies including 1MHz, for enabling sequential noise subtraction protocols.

A spectroscopic apparatus includes a splitter that receives a first detected signal output from a sample to which an incident beam is irradiated, and outputs a reflected signal and a second detected signal by splitting the first detected signal, and a signal processor that receives the reflected signal and the second detected signal, and extracts a Raman signal from the second detected signal in response to the received reflected signal.

An example system for inspecting a surface includes a laser, an optical system, a gated camera, and a control system. The laser is configured to emit pulses of light, with respective wavelengths of the pulses of light varying over time. The optical system includes at least one optical element, and is configured to direct light emitted by the laser to points along a scan line one point at a time. The gated camera is configured to record a fluorescent response of the surface from light having each wavelength of a plurality of wavelengths at each point along the scan line. The control system is configured to control the gated camera such that an aperture of the gated camera is open during fluorescence of the surface but closed during exposure of the surface to light emitted by the laser.

Optical imaging or spectroscopy described can use laminar optical tomography (LOT), diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS), or the like. An incident beam is scanned across a target. An orthogonal or oblique optical response can be obtained, such as concurrently at different distances from the incident beam. The optical response from multiple incident wavelengths can be concurrently obtained by dispersing the response wavelengths in a direction orthogonal to the response distances from the incident beam. Temporal correlation can be measured, from which flow and other parameters can be computed. An optical conduit can enable endoscopic or laparoscopic imaging or spectroscopy of internal target locations. An articulating arm can communicate the light for performing the LOT, DCS, or the like. The imaging can find use for skin cancer diagnosis, such as distinguishing lentigo maligna (LM) from lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM).

An optical channel, of an optical filter, passes light associated with a particular wavelength range to a sensor element, of an optical sensor, that operates in a gated mode. One or more processors obtain, from the optical sensor, a first optical measurement and a second optical measurement related to a multi-layered subject. The first optical measurement indicates an amount of light associated with the particular wavelength range that the sensor element accumulated during a first time range, and the second optical measurement indicates an amount of light associated with the particular wavelength range that the sensor element accumulated during a second time range. The first time range is a subrange of the second time range. The one or more processors process the first optical measurement and the second optical measurement to determine one or more parameters associated with the multi-layered subject.

Provided herein are devices, systems, and methods for characterizing a biological sample in vivo or ex vivo in real-time using time-resolved spectroscopy. A light source generates a light pulse or continuous light wave and excites the biological sample, inducing a responsive fluorescent signal. A demultiplexer splits the signal into spectral bands and a time delay is applied to the spectral bands so as to capture data with a detector from multiple spectral bands from a single excitation pulse. The biological sample is characterized by analyzing the fluorescence intensity magnitude and/or decay of the spectral bands. The sample may comprise one or more exogenous or endogenous fluorophore. The device may be a two-piece probe with a detachable, disposable distal end. The systems may combine fluorescence spectroscopy with other optical spectroscopy or imaging modalities. The light pulse may be focused at a single focal point or scanned or patterned across an area.

[Object] An optimal structure for spectroscopically analyzing a solid-phase or liquid-phase sample in a wavelength range of 1100 to 1200 nm by using supercontinuum light is provided. [Solution] Supercontinuum light generated by producing nonlinear effects in light from a pulse laser source 1 by a nonlinear element 2 and having a wavelength range including 1100 nm or greater and 1200 nm or less is subjected to pulse stretching by a pulse stretching element 3, and a solid-phase or a liquid-phase sample S is irradiated with the supercontinuum light. In the supercontinuum light, elapsed time and wavelength within one pulse are in a one-to-one correspondence, and computation means 5 computes a spectrum based on a change over time in an output from a light receiver 4 that has received light that has passed through the sample S.

A high-sensitivity nanosecond to millisecond transient absorption spectrometer for measurements of miniscule signals under low excitation intensities includes an excitation source generating a >100 Hz, <5 ns pulsewidth excitation pulse for exciting a light absorbing sample, a probe light source for generating a high photon flux probe light beam producing an average irradiance greater than 1 μW m-2 nm-1 for measuring the transient absorption spectrum of the sample before and after excitation by the excitation source, a DC-coupled detector capable of measuring light for enabling synchronous measurement of both the transmission of the probe light beam and the change in transmission of the probe light beam between a signal with the excitation pulse present and a signal in the absence of the excitation pulse, and a digital oscilloscope with a trigger rearm time capable of collecting every trigger event at frequencies including 1 MHz, for enabling sequential noise subtraction protocols.