DIFFERENTIAL LASER-INDUCED PERTURBATION (DLIP) FOR BIOIMAGING AND CHEMICAL SENSING

• US 20110137179A1
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Hahn, David Worthington
• Granted Patent: US 8,939,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/631 using photolysis and investigating photolysed fragments
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6408 with measurement of decay time, time resolved fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6456 Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering

Abstract

Methods for imaging or optical sensing of a material are provided. A first fluorescent image or optical signal of a material can be recorded, the material can be perturbed, and then a second fluorescent image or optical signal of the material can be recorded. The two fluorescent images or signals can be subtracted to give a differential image or optical signal.

Claims

1. A method for imaging or sensing a material, comprising:

exciting a material with radiation having a first wavelength;

recording a first image or signal from the material;

perturbing the material;

exciting the material with radiation having the first wavelength;

recording a second image or signal from the material; and

determining a difference between the first image or signal and the second image or signal to give a differential image or optical signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein perturbing the material comprises perturbing the material with additional irradiation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein perturbing the material comprises perturbing the material with additional irradiation from a light source at the first wavelength.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein perturbing the material comprises perturbing the material with additional irradiation from a light source at a second wavelength.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first image or signal is a first fluorescent image and the second image or signal is a second fluorescent image.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first image or signal is a first optical signal and the second image or signal is a second optical signal.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the light source is a laser.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the irradiation is ultraviolet (UV) irradiation.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second wavelength is in the range 150 nm to 250 nm.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second wavelength is in the range 193 nm to 213 nm.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the laser is an ArF excimer laser.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second wavelength is about 193 nm.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the laser is a KrF excimer laser.

14. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second wavelength is about 248 nm.

15. The method according to claim 5, wherein the laser is a tunable Ti-Sapphire laser.

16. The method according to claim 5, wherein the laser is a tunable OPO laser.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the Ti-Sapphire laser is tuned to a wavelength that couples to the material.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the OPO laser is tuned to a wavelength that couples to the material.

19. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first wavelength is about 355 nm.

20. The method according to claim 7, wherein the laser is a quintupled Nd:

YAG laser.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second wavelength is about 213 nm.

22. The method according to claim 2, wherein the material comprises a biological tissue.

23. The method according to claim 2, wherein the material comprises a chemical sample.

24. The method according to claim 5, wherein the material comprises a biological tissue.

25. The method according to claim 5, wherein the material comprises a chemical sample.

26. The method according to claim 2, wherein perturbing the material comprises perturbing the material with a multi-photon process.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the multi-photon process comprises subjecting the material to irradiation from at least one pulse from a femtosecond laser or ultrashort laser pulse.

28. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first optical signal comprises a series of fluorescence signals.

29. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first optical signal comprises at least one fluorescence lifetime signal.

30. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first optical signal comprises at least one Raman scattering signal.

31. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first optical signal comprises as at least one multi-photon fluorescent signal.

32. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first optical signal comprises at least one photofragmentation signal.

33. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first optical signal comprises at least one light scattering or reflectivity signal.

34. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first optical signal comprises a plurality of fluorescence signals, wherein at least two of the plurality of fluorescence signals comprise different fluorescence spectral bandwidths.

35. The method according to claim 6, wherein first optical signal is a combination of two or more of the following:

a fluorescence signal;

a series of fluorescence signals;

a fluorescence lifetime signal;

a series of fluorescence lifetime signals;

a Raman scattering signal;

a series of Raman scattering signals;

a multi-photon fluorescent signal;

a series of multi-photon fluorescent signals;

a photofragmentation signal;

a series of photofragmentation signals;

a light scattering or reflectivity signal; and

a series of light scattering or reflectivity signals.

36. The method according to claim 2, wherein perturbing the material comprises perturbing labeled or artificial chromophores.

37. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

utilizing the differential image or optical signal to detect material properties of the biological tissue.

38. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

utilizing the differential image or optical signal to detect cancer in the biological tissue.

39. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

utilizing the differential image or optical signal to detect biological contaminants.

40. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

utilizing the differential image or optical signal to detect explosive compounds.

41. A system for imaging or sensing a material, comprising:

a variation source, wherein the radiation source is adapted to excite a material with radiation having a first wavelength;

a detector, wherein the detector records a first image or signal, from the material after the material is excited with the radiation having the first wavelength;

a perturbing mechanism, wherein the perturbing mechanism perturbs the material;

wherein the radiation source is adapted to excite the material after the material is perturbed;

wherein the detector is adapted to record a second image or signal from the material after the material is excited with the radiation having the first wavelength after the material is perturbed; and

a means for determining a difference between the first image or signal and the second image or signal to give a differential image or optical signal.