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 apparatus and method for analyzing a tissue sample to provide depth-selective information includes at least one light source, collection light optics, and a light detector. The light source is configured to produce a light beam having one or more wavelengths of light that cause a tissue sample to produce Raman light signals upon interrogation of the tissue sample. The light beam is oriented to impinge on an exposed surface of the tissue sample at a point of incidence (POI), and oriented so that the light beam enters the tissue sample at an oblique angle relative to the exposed surface of the tissue sample. The collection light optics are configured to collect the Raman light signals emanating from the tissue sample at one or more predetermined lateral distances from the point of incidence. The light detector is configured to receive the Raman light signals from the collection light optics.

A system for non-invasively interrogating an in vivo sample for measurement of analytes comprises a pulse sensor coupled to the in vivo sample for detect a blood pulse of the sample and for generating a corresponding pulse signal, a laser generator for generating a laser radiation having a wavelength, power and diameter, the laser radiation being directed toward the sample to elicit Raman signals, a laser controller adapted to activate the laser generator, a spectrometer situated to receive the Raman signals and to generate analyte spectral data; and a computing device coupled to the pulse sensor, laser controller and spectrometer which is adapted to correlate the spectral data with the pulse signal based on timing data received from the laser controller in order to isolate spectral components from analytes within the blood of the sample from spectral components from analytes arising from non-blood components of the sample.

An apparatus for inspecting a biological tissue uses a pH-sensitive coating material to determine whether the tissue is normal or cancerous. The coating material is placed in contact with the tissue to be excited by an excitation light. The coating material is arranged to provide a response signal indicative of the pH value of the tissue. Using a fiber bundle having a plurality of optical fibers forming a linear array or a two-dimensional array adjacent the coating material, the imaging of localized surface pH in the biological tissue can be achieved using the response signal through each of the optical fibers. The fiber bundle can be arranged as a probe to examine the tissue for providing direct mapping of the tumor margin via a display, so that a surgeon can inspect the tissue in real-time.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods of obtaining a derivative Raman spectrum using an excitation or Raman pump beam whose wavelength is modulated in any suitable manner such as, for example, stochastically. Shifting the wavelength of the input excitation by a small amount in approaches like SERDS can isolate the Raman scatter from other spectral artifacts and reduce the false detection rate. For example, an input excitation sequence can be correlated with the response of an individual pixel of a detector. From this, pixels that have captured Raman scattered photons can be separated from pixels capturing non-Raman photons. These techniques can be expanded to other fields and/or types of spectroscopies that utilize a dispersive element detector with time-dependent spectral features.

A multi-dispersive spectrometer is provided in which the spectrometer comprises an optical system configured to direct an excitation signal from an excitation light source toward a sample, receive a spectroscopy signal from the sample, and direct the spectroscopy signal toward the detector. The optical system comprises a movable optical component adapted to move the spectroscopy signal relative to at least one sensor of the detector and the detector is adapted to detect a plurality of discrete shifted spectroscopy signals. A method of obtaining a Raman spectrum from a sample is also provided. The method comprises directing an excitation signal from an excitation light source toward a sample; receiving a spectroscopy signal from the sample; and directing the spectroscopy signal toward a detector, wherein the spectroscopy signal is moved relative to at least one sensor of the detector to provide a plurality of discrete shifted spectroscopy signals.

A method for testing cellular level water content and distribution in fruit and vegetable tissues based on Raman spectroscopy comprises preprocessing of samples, acquisition and preprocessing of imaging spectra, Gaussian peak-separation fitting of imaging spectra, pseudocolor imaging according to the fitting results, and visualization of distribution of water content and water bonding state at the cell level. The distribution of water content and water binding state is visualized at the cellular level in the fruit and vegetable tissues for the first time, and relatively reliable quantitative analysis results of the content of water with different bonding states according to the visualization imaging results is obtained. The new method for testing cellular level water content in fruit and vegetable tissues solves the current problem of not being able to detect cellular level water changes in fruit and vegetable processing, and has a good prospect for the research on fruit and vegetables processing.

A system for non-invasively interrogating an in vivo sample for measurement of analytes comprises a pulse sensor coupled to the in vivo sample for detect a blood pulse of the sample and for generating a corresponding pulse signal, a laser generator for generating a laser radiation having a wavelength, power and diameter, the laser radiation being directed toward the sample to elicit Raman signals, a laser controller adapted to activate the laser generator, a spectrometer situated to receive the Raman signals and to generate analyte spectral data; and a computing device coupled to the pulse sensor, laser controller and spectrometer which is adapted to correlate the spectral data with the pulse signal based on timing data received from the laser controller in order to isolate spectral components from analytes within the blood of the sample from spectral components from analytes arising from non-blood components of the sample.

An analysis apparatus includes a laser irradiation unit that irradiates a laser beam, a beam scanner that moves along a pattern to change a position at which the laser beam is irradiated to a sample, a first lens through which a light provided from the sample is transmitted, an optical member to which the light that passes through the first lens is provided and through which a pin hole is defined, and a detection unit that detects a detection light passed through the pin hole.

A compact, portable Raman spectrometer makes fast, sensitive standoff measurements at little to no risk of eye injury or igniting the materials being probed. This spectrometer uses differential Raman spectroscopy and ambient light measurements to measure point-and-shoot Raman signatures of dark or highly fluorescent materials at distances of 1 cm to 10 m or more. It scans the Raman pump beam(s) across the sample to reduce the risk of unduly heating or igniting the sample. Beam scanning also transforms the spectrometer into an instrument with a lower effective safety classification, reducing the risk of eye injury. The spectrometer's long standoff range automatic focusing make it easier to identify chemicals through clear and translucent obstacles, such as flow tubes, windows, and containers. And the spectrometer's components are light and small enough to be packaged in a handheld housing or housing suitable for a small robot to carry.