Spectroscopy system with laser and pulsed output beam

• US 10,466,102 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omni Continuum LLC
• Original Assignee: Omni Medsci, Inc.
• Inventors: Islam, Mohammed N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pak, Sung H
• Application Number:
  US16/028,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20190056266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/102 Plural sources
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/423 Spectral arrangements using lasers, e.g. tunable
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0218 using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0245 using an optical amplifier of light, e.g. doped fiber
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/108 for measurement in the infrared range
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/42 Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry beam switching arrangements G01J3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29349 Michelson or Michelson/Gires-Tournois configuration, i.e. based on splitting and interferometrically combining relatively delayed signals at a single beamsplitter
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3528 for producing a supercontinuum
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/365 in an optical waveguide structure G02F1/377, G02F1/395 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/32 Photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/085 solitons
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/06725 Fibre characterized by a specific dispersion, e.g. for pulse shaping in soliton lasers or for dispersion compensating [DCF]
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/06754 Fibre amplifiers H01S3/06708 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/094007 Cladding pumping, i.e. pump light propagating in a clad surrounding the active core
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/094069 Multi-mode pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/094076 Pulsed or modulated pumping H01S3/1024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1024 for pulse generation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/302 in an optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0064 Anti-reflection components, e.g. optical isolators
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0085 : for modulating the output, i.e. the laser beam is modulated outside the laser cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0092 : for nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1092 : Multi-wavelength lasing
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/146 : using a fiber as external cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 : Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms

Abstract

A spectroscopy system includes a light source having an input light source, including semiconductor diodes generating an input beam with a wavelength shorter than 2.5 microns. Cladding-pumped fiber amplifiers receive the input beam and form an amplified optical beam having a spectral width. A nonlinear element broadens the spectral width of the amplified optical beam to 100 nm or more through a nonlinear effect forming an output beam that is pulsed. A filter is coupled to at least one of a lens and a mirror that receives the output beam and delivers the filtered output beam to a sample. A detection system includes detectors configured to receive the output beam reflected or transmitted from the sample. The detection system is configured to use a lock-in technique with the pulsed output beam and the spectroscopy system is adapted to detect chemicals in the sample.

Claims

1. A spectroscopy system, comprising:

a light source comprising;

an input light source, including one or more semiconductor diodes, configured to generate an input beam that comprises a wavelength shorter than 2.5 microns;

one or more optical amplifiers configured to receive at least a portion of the input beam and to form an amplified optical beam having a spectral width, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical amplifiers comprises a cladding-pumped fiber amplifier; and

a nonlinear element configured to receive at least a portion of the amplified optical beam and to broaden the spectral width of the received amplified optical beam to 100 nm or more through a nonlinear effect forming an output beam, wherein the output beam is pulsed;

a filter coupled to at least one of a lens and a mirror configured to receive at least a portion of the output beam, and to deliver at least a portion of the received output beam to a sample; and

a detection system comprising one or more detectors configured to receive at least a part of the output beam reflected or transmitted from the sample, wherein the detection system is configured to use a lock-in technique with the pulsed output beam; and

wherein the spectroscopy system is adapted to perform non-contact detection of chemical species within the sample.

2. The spectroscopy system of claim 1, wherein the detection system is configured to use a phase lock technique with the pulsed output beam.

3. The spectroscopy system of claim 1, wherein the detection system is configured to use a box-car averager.

4. The spectroscopy system of claim 1, wherein the spectroscopy system comprises a reference path for calibrating the spectroscopy system.

5. The spectroscopy system of claim 1, wherein the sample comprises amino acids, benzene rings, oxygen-hydrogen bonds, carbon-oxygen bonds, nitrogen-oxygen bonds, carbon-hydrogen bonds, or nitrogen-hydrogen bonds.

6. The spectroscopy system of claim 1, wherein the detection system comprises a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy system.

7. A spectroscopy system, comprising:

a light source comprising;

an input light source, including one or more semiconductor diodes, configured to generate an input beam that comprises a wavelength shorter than 2.5 microns;

one or more optical amplifiers configured to receive at least a portion of the input beam and form an amplified optical beam having a spectral width; and

a nonlinear element configured to receive at least a portion of the amplified optical beam and to broaden the spectral width of the received amplified optical beam to 100 nm or more through a nonlinear effect forming an output beam, wherein the output beam is pulsed;

at least one of a lens and a mirror configured to receive at least a portion of the output beam, and to deliver at least a portion of the received output beam to a sample; and

a detection system comprising one or more detectors configured to receive at least a part of the output beam reflected or transmitted from the sample, wherein the detection system is configured to use a lock-in technique with the pulsed output beam; and

wherein the spectroscopy system is adapted to perform spectral fingerprinting to measure a chemical composition of the sample.

8. The spectroscopy system of claim 7, wherein the detection system is configured to use a phase lock technique with the pulsed output beam.

9. The spectroscopy system of claim 7, wherein the detection system comprises a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy system.

10. The spectroscopy system of claim 7, wherein the spectroscopy system comprises a filter coupled to the at least one of a lens and a mirror.

11. The spectroscopy system of claim 7, wherein the spectroscopy system comprises a reference path for calibrating the spectroscopy system.

12. The spectroscopy system of claim 7, wherein the sample comprises oxygen-hydrogen, carbon-oxygen, nitrogen-oxygen, carbon-hydrogen, or nitrogen-hydrogen bonds.

13. The spectroscopy system of claim 7, wherein the sample comprises amino acids or benzene rings.

14. The spectroscopy system of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical amplifiers comprises a cladding-pumped fiber amplifier.

15. A spectroscopy system, comprising:

a light source comprising;

an input light source, including one or more semiconductor diodes, configured to generate an input beam that comprises a wavelength shorter than 2.5 microns;

one or more optical amplifiers configured to receive at least a portion of the input beam and form an amplified optical beam having a spectral width, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical amplifiers comprises a cladding-pumped fiber amplifier; and

a nonlinear element configured to receive at least a portion of the amplified optical beam and to broaden the spectral width of the received amplified optical beam to 100 nm or more through a nonlinear effect forming an output beam, wherein the output beam is pulsed;

at least one of a lens and a mirror configured to receive at least a portion of the output beam, and to deliver at least a portion of the received output beam to a sample; and

a detection system comprising one or more detectors configured to receive at least a part of the output beam reflected or transmitted from the sample, wherein the detection system is configured to use a box-car averager with the pulsed output beam; and

wherein the spectroscopy system is adapted to measure a chemical composition of the sample.

16. The spectroscopy system of claim 15, wherein the spectroscopy system comprises a filter coupled to the at least one of a lens and a mirror.

17. The spectroscopy system of claim 16, wherein the spectroscopy system comprises a reference path for calibrating the spectroscopy system.

18. The spectroscopy system of claim 17, wherein the detection system comprises a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy system.

19. The spectroscopy system of claim 18, wherein the spectroscopy system is adapted to perform spectral fingerprinting for non-contact detection of chemical species within the sample.

20. The spectroscopy system of claim 19, wherein the sample comprises oxygen-hydrogen bonds, carbon-oxygen bonds, nitrogen-oxygen bonds, carbon-hydrogen bonds, nitrogen-hydrogen bonds, amino acids or benzene rings.