System and method for multi-parameter spectroscopy

• US 10,161,870 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2018
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nxgen Partners Ip, LLC (NxGen Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nxgen Partners Ip, LLC (NxGen Partners LLC)
• Inventors: Ashrafi, Solyman
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Jamil
• Application Number:
  US15/979,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20180306716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/42 for laboratory research
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/21 Polarisation-affecting properties G01N21/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/59 Transmissivity G01N21/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/636 using an arrangement of pump beam and probe beam; using the measurement of optical non-linear properties; non-linear optics per se G02F1/35
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0675 SLM
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/4709 Amyloid plaque core protein
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/2821 Alzheimer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/483 Physical analysis of biological material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/487 of liquid biological material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6896 Neurological disorders, e.g. Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a material within a sample includes a light emitting unit for directing at least one light beam through the sample. A plurality of units receive the light beam that has passed through the sample and performs a spectroscopic analysis of the sample based on the received light beam. Each of the plurality of units analyze a different parameter with respect to the sample a provide a separate output signal with respect to the analysis. A processor detects the material with respect each of the provided separate output signals.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a material within a sample, comprising:

a light emitting unit for directing at least one light beam through the sample, the at least one light beam having a unique Raman intensity signature associated therewith responsive to passing through the sample;

a spontaneous Raman spectroscopic unit for receiving the at least one light beam that has passed though the sample and performing a spontaneous Raman spectroscopic analysis to detect a first Raman intensity signature associated with the sample, wherein the first Raman intensity signature relates to molecular vibrations caused by the material in the sample;

a simulated Raman spectroscopic unit for receiving the at least one light beam that has passed through the sample and performing a simulated Raman spectroscopic analysis to detect a second Raman intensity signature associated with the sample, wherein the second Raman intensity signature relates to molecular vibrations caused by the material within the sample;

a database including a plurality of unique combinations of first Raman intensity signatures associated with spontaneous Raman spectroscopic analysis and second Raman intensity signatures associated with simulated Raman spectroscopic analysis, each of the plurality of unique combinations of the first and second Raman intensity signatures associated with a particular material; and

a processor for detecting the material within the sample responsive to a comparison of the plurality of unique combinations of the first and second Raman intensity signatures detected by the spontaneous Raman spectroscopic unit and the simulated Raman spectroscopic unit with the plurality of unique combinations of the first and second Raman intensity signatures within the database and a determination of a matching unique combination of the first and second Raman intensity signatures within the database, wherein spontaneous Raman intensity is linearly dependent on an incident intensity and simulated Raman intensity is nonlinearly dependent on the incident intensity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light emitting beam further applies an orbital angular momentum to the at least one light beam that is directed through the sample.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprises an OAM spectroscopic unit for receiving the at least one light beam that has passed though the sample and performing an orbital angular momentum (OAM) spectroscopic analysis to detect a rotational signature associated with the sample.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the database further includes a plurality of unique combinations of first Raman intensity signatures associated with spontaneous Raman spectroscopic analysis, second Raman intensity signatures associated with simulated Raman spectroscopic analysis and rotational signatures, each of the plurality of unique combinations of first and second Raman intensity signatures and rotational signatures associated with a particular material.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor detects the material within the sample responsive to a comparison of the plurality of unique combinations of the first and the second Raman intensity signatures and the rotational signature detected by the spontaneous Raman spectroscopic unit, the simulated Raman spectroscopic unit and the OAM spectroscopic unit with the plurality of unique combinations of the first and the second Raman intensity signatures and the rotational signatures within the database and a determination of a matching unique combination of the first and the second Raman intensity and the rotational signatures within the database.

6. An apparatus for detecting a material within a sample, comprising:

a light emitting unit for directing at least one light beam having an orbital angular momentum and energy mode applied thereto through the sample, the at least one light beam having a unique vibrational and rotational signature combination associated therewith responsive to passing through the sample;

an OAM spectroscopic unit for receiving the at least one light beam that has passed though the sample and performing an orbital angular momentum (OAM) spectroscopic analysis to detect a rotational signature associated with the sample;

a resonance Raman spectroscopic unit for receiving the at least one light beam that has passed through the sample and performing a resonance Raman spectroscopic analysis to detect a vibrational signature associated with the sample, wherein the vibrational signature comprises vibrational modes caused by the material within the sample that match the energy mode associated with the at least one light beam;

a database including a plurality of unique combinations of vibrational and rotational signatures, each of the plurality of unique combinations of vibrational and rotational signatures associated with a particular material; and

a processor for detecting the material within the sample responsive to a comparison of the plurality of unique combinations of the vibrational and the rotational signatures detected by the OAM spectroscopic unit and the resonance Raman spectroscopic unit with the plurality of unique combinations of the vibrational and rotational signatures within the database and a determination of a matching unique combination of the vibrational and rotational signatures within the database, wherein identification of the matching unique combination of the vibrational and rotational signatures enables detection of the material not detectable using either the vibrational signature or the rotational signature alone.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein intensities of the vibrational modes are proportional to a 6^th power of a frequency.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the unique combination of vibrational and rotational signatures provides sensitive discrimination of close molecular species.

9. An apparatus for detecting a material within a sample, comprising:

a light emitting unit for directing at least one light beam having an orbital angular momentum applied thereto toward the sample, the at least one light beam having a unique vibrational and rotational signature combination associated therewith responsive to passing through the sample;

a polarizer for applying at least a first polarization and a second polarization to the at least one light beam;

an OAM spectroscopic unit for receiving the at least one light beam that has passed though the sample and performing an orbital angular momentum (OAM) spectroscopic analysis to detect a rotational signature associated with the sample;

a polarized Raman spectroscopic unit for receiving the at least one light beam having either the first polarization or the second polarization applied thereto that has passed through the sample and performing a polarized Raman spectroscopic analysis to detect a vibrational signature associated with the sample, wherein the vibrational signature comprises a unique ratio of intensities based on application of the first polarization and the second polarization to the at least one light beam caused by the material within the sample;

a database including a plurality of unique combinations of vibrational and rotational signatures, each of the plurality of unique combinations of the vibrational and the rotational signatures associated with a particular material; and

a processor for detecting the material within the sample responsive to a comparison of the plurality of unique combinations of the vibrational and the rotational signatures detected by the OAM spectroscopic unit and the polarized Raman spectroscopic unit with the plurality of unique combinations of the vibrational and the rotational signatures within the database and a determination of a matching unique combination of the vibrational and the rotational signatures within the database, wherein identification of the matching unique combination of the vibration and the rotational signatures enables detection of the material not detectable using either the vibrational signature or the rotational signature alone.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the polarizer is located between the light emitting unit and the sample.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the polarizer is located between the sample and the OAM spectroscopic unit and polarized Raman spectroscopic unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein polarized Raman spectroscopic unit further receives the at least one light beam having no polarization applied thereto that has passed through the sample and performing a non-polarized Raman spectroscopic analysis to detect a vibrational signature associated with the sample, wherein the vibrational signature comprises a unique ratio of intensities based on application of the first polarization, the second polarization and the non-polarization applied to the at least one light beam caused by the material within the sample.

13. An apparatus for detecting a material within a sample, comprising:

a light emitting unit for directing a pump beam and a probe beam, the probe beam having an orbital angular momentum applied thereto through the sample, the probe beam having a unique vibrational and rotational signature combination associated therewith responsive to passing through the sample;

an OAM spectroscopic unit for receiving the probe beam that has passed though the sample and performing an orbital angular momentum (OAM) spectroscopic analysis to detect a rotational signature associated with the sample;

a pump probe spectroscopic unit for receiving the probe beam that has passed through the sample and performing a pump probe spectroscopic analysis to detect a molecular signature associated with the sample, wherein the molecular signature relates to ultrafast molecular phenomenon relating to transient properties of molecules caused by the material within the sample;

a database including a plurality of unique combinations of molecular and rotational signatures, each of the plurality of unique combinations of the molecular and rotational signatures associated with a particular material; and

a processor for detecting the material within the sample responsive to a comparison of the plurality of unique combinations of the molecular and the rotational signatures detected by the OAM spectroscopic unit and the pump probe spectroscopic unit with the plurality of unique combinations of the molecular and the rotational signatures within the database and a determination of a matching unique combination of molecular and rotational signatures within the database, wherein identification of the matching unique combination of the vibrational and rotational signatures enables detection of the material not detectable using either the molecular signature or the rotational signature alone.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the light emitting unit further comprises:

a laser for generating a light beam;

a beam splitter for splitting the light beam into a first light beam and a second light beam;

pump generation circuitry for generating the pump beam responsive to the first light beam for exciting molecules within the sample; and

probe generation circuitry for generating the probe beam responsive to the second light beam for detecting the molecular signature.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pump generation circuitry generates the pump beam at a first frequency and the probe generation circuitry generates the probe beam at a second frequency, further wherein scattering intensities are enhanced by differences between the first frequency and the second frequency.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pump generation circuitry generates the pump beam at a first frequency that induces Raman emissions and the probe generation circuitry generates the probe beam at a second frequency that helps detect Raman modes.