OPTICAL ANALYZER

• US 20100331706A1
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: HASEGAWA, Takemi
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3425 of granular material, e.g. ore particles, grain investigation moving fluids or granular solids using optical means G01N21/85
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/359 using near infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering

Abstract

An optical analyzer performing analysis excellent in spatial resolution and in invasion depth is provided. The analyzer includes a diagnostic light source section including a seed light source which outputs seed light, and a silica optical fiber to which seed light is input and which generates diagnostic light having a HE11 mode field pattern utilizing a nonlinear optical phenomenon, an irradiation optical system converging the diagnostic light and irradiating a measurement subject with the diagnostic light, an acquisition optical system acquiring object light generated at the measurement subject, a spectrum measurement section receiving the object light and measuring a frequency spectrum of the object light, a storage section storing information of a frequency spectrum of a known substance, and an arithmetic section calculating a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the object light and the frequency spectrum of the known substance, and analyzing the measurement subject based on the calculation result.

Claims

1. An optical analyzer comprising:

a diagnostic light source section including a seed light source which outputs seed light, and a silica optical fiber having a nonlinear optical coefficient or 20 [K<sup>−

1</sup>km<sup>−

1</sup>] or more to which the seed light is input and which generates supercontinuum light as diagnostic light having a HE11 mode field pattern utilizing a nonlinear optical phenomenon and outputs the diagnostic light;

an irradiation optical system which converges the diagnostic light and irradiates a measurement subject with the diagnostic light;

an acquisition optical system which acquires object light generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the diagnostic light;

a spectrum measurement section which receives the object light and measures a frequency spectrum of the object light;

a storage section which stores information of a frequency spectrum of a known substance; and

an arithmetic section which calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the object light and the frequency spectrum of the known substance, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation result

wherein a spatial density of an optical power is 1 mW/μ

m² or more at least at a part of the optical fiber of the diagnostic light source section,

wherein the diagnostic light source section outputs the diagnostic light having an optical power of 1 μ

W/nm or more at least in a part of a spectrum band from 0.8 to 3.0 μ

m,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a pump pulse source, and in the diagnostic light source section, a spectrum of pump pulse light output from the pump pulse source is expanded utilizing the nonlinear optical effect during propagation in the optical fiber so that the pump pulse light is output as the diagnostic light,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as the object light, diagnostic light having a loss generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance is a loss spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the object light and the loss spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation result.

4. An optical analyzer according to claim 1,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a seed pulse source and a pump source, in the diagnostic light source section, pump light output from the pump source is input to the optical fiber so as to generate an optical parametric gain in the optical fiber, and seed pulse light output from the seed pulse source is optically amplified using the optical parametric gain in the optical fiber and output as the diagnostic light,

wherein a center wavelength of the diagnostic light is within a wavelength range from 1400 to 1800 nm,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as the object light, Raman scattering light generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance is a Raman scattering spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the object light and the Raman scattering spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation result.

5. An optical analyzer according to claim 1,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a seed pulse source, a pump source, and a pump pulse source, in the diagnostic light source section, pump light output from the pump source is input to the optical fiber so as to generate an optical parametric gain in the optical fiber, seed pulse light output from the seed pulse source is optically amplified using the optical parametric gain in the optical fiber and output as first diagnostic light, and a spectrum of pump pulse light output from the pump pulse source is expanded utilizing the nonlinear optical effect during propagation in the optical fiber so that the pump pulse light is output as second diagnostic light,

wherein a center wavelength of the first diagnostic light is within a wavelength range from 1400 to 1800 nm,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as first object light, Raman scattering light generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the first diagnostic light, and also acquires, as second object light, second diagnostic light having a loss generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the second diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance contains a Raman scattering spectrum and a loss spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the first object light and the Raman scattering spectrum, calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the second object light and the loss spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation results.

6. A medicine sorting method comprising the steps of:

using the optical analyzer described in claim 1,

measuring a spatial distribution of physiologically active molecules contained in medicine as the measurement subject; and

determining whether the spatial distribution is conformed with a predetermined specification.

7. A tissue examination method comprising the steps of:

using the optical analyzer described in claim 1,

irradiating living tissue as the measurement subject with diagnostic light with a wavelength within a wavelength range from 1.6 to 1.8 μ

m; and

measuring a spatial distribution of physiologically active molecules contained in the measurement subject.

8. An tissue examination method according to claim 7,

wherein information of the frequency spectrum of the known substance is information of a spectrum of an undifferentiated embryonic stem cell, and

wherein the undifferentiated embryonic stem cell contained in the measurement subject is detected.

9. A medicine sorting method according to claim 6,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a pump pulse source, and in the diagnostic light source section, a spectrum of pump pulse light output from the pump pulse source is expanded utilizing the nonlinear optical effect during propagation in the optical fiber so that the pump pulse light is output as the diagnostic light,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as the object light, diagnostic light having a loss generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance is a loss spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the object light and the loss spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation result.

10. A medicine sorting method according to claim 6,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a seed pulse source and a pump source, in the diagnostic light source section, pump light output from the pump source is input to the optical fiber so as to generate an optical parametric gain in the optical fiber, and seed pulse light output from the seed pulse source is optically amplified using the optical parametric gain in the optical fiber and output as the diagnostic light,

wherein a center wavelength of the diagnostic light is within a wavelength range from 1400 to 1800 nm,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as the object light, Raman scattering light generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance is a Raman scattering spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the object light and the Raman scattering spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation result.

11. A medicine sorting method according to claim 6,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a seed pulse source, a pump source, and a pump pulse source, in the diagnostic light source section, pump light output from the pump source is input to the optical fiber so as to generate an optical parametric gain in the optical fiber, seed pulse light output from the seed pulse source is optically amplified using the optical parametric gain in the optical fiber and output as first diagnostic light, and a spectrum of pump pulse light output from the pump pulse source is expanded utilizing the nonlinear optical effect during propagation in the optical fiber so that the pump pulse light is output as second diagnostic light,

wherein a center wavelength of the first diagnostic light is within a wavelength range from 1400 to 1800 nm,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as first object light, Raman scattering light generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the first diagnostic light, and also acquires, as second object light, second diagnostic light having a loss generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the second diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance contains a Raman scattering spectrum and a loss spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the first object light and the Raman scattering spectrum, calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the second object light and the loss spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation results.

12. A tissue examination method according to claim 7,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a pump pulse source, and in the diagnostic light source section, a spectrum of pump pulse light output from the pump pulse source is expanded utilizing the nonlinear optical effect during propagation in the optical fiber so that the pump pulse light is output as the diagnostic light,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as the object light, diagnostic light having a loss generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance is a loss spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the object light and the loss spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation result.

13. A tissue examination method according to claim 7,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a seed pulse source and a pump source, in the diagnostic light source section, pump light output from the pump source is input to the optical fiber so as to generate an optical parametric gain in the optical fiber, and seed pulse light output from the seed pulse source is optically amplified using the optical parametric gain in the optical fiber and output as the diagnostic light,

wherein a center wavelength of the diagnostic light is within a wavelength range from 1400 to 1800 nm,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as the object light, Raman scattering light generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance is a Raman scattering spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the object light and the Raman scattering spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation result.

14. A tissue examination method according to claim 7,

wherein the seed light source of the diagnostic light source section includes a seed pulse source, a pump source, and a pump pulse source, in the diagnostic light source section, pump light output from the pump source is input to the optical fiber so as to generate an optical parametric gain in the optical fiber, seed pulse light output from the seed pulse source is optically amplified using the optical parametric gain in the optical fiber and output as first diagnostic light, and a spectrum of pump pulse light output from the pump pulse source is expanded utilizing the nonlinear optical effect during propagation in the optical fiber so that the pump pulse light is output as second diagnostic light,

wherein a center wavelength of the first diagnostic light is within a wavelength range from 1400 to 1800 nm,

wherein the acquisition optical system acquires, as first object light, Raman scattering light generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the first diagnostic light, and also acquires, as second object light, second diagnostic light having a loss generated at the measurement subject because of the irradiation with the second diagnostic light,

wherein the frequency spectrum of the known substance contains a Raman scattering spectrum and a loss spectrum, and

wherein the arithmetic section calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the first object light and the Raman scattering spectrum, calculates a correspondence between the frequency spectrum of the second object light and the loss spectrum, and analyzes the measurement subject based on the calculation results.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)