The sensitivity of molecular fingerprinting is dramatically improved when placing the absorbing sample in a high-finesse optical cavity, thanks to the large increase of the effective path-length. As demonstrated recently, when the equidistant lines from a laser frequency comb are simultaneously injected into the cavity over a large spectral range, multiple trace-gases may be identified within a few milliseconds. Analyzing efficiently the light transmitted through the cavity however still remains challenging. Here, a novel approach, cavity-enhanced frequency comb Fourier transform spectroscopy, fully overcomes this difficulty and measures ultrasensitive, broad-bandwidth, high-resolution spectra within a few tens of $\mu$s. It could be implemented from the Terahertz to the ultraviolet regions without any need for detector arrays. We recorded, within 18 $\mu$s, spectra of the 1.0 $\mu$m overtone bands of ammonia spanning 20 nm with 4.5 GHz resolution and a noise-equivalent-absorption at one-second-averaging per spectral element of 3 10^-12 cm^-1Hz^-1/2, thus opening a route to time-resolved spectroscopy of rapidly-evolving single-events
Advances in optical spectroscopy and microscopy have had a profound impact throughout the physical, chemical and biological sciences. One example is coherent Raman spectroscopy, a versatile technique interrogating vibrational transitions in molecules. It offers high spatial resolution and three-dimensional sectioning capabilities that make it a label-free tool for the non-destructive and chemically selective probing of complex systems. Indeed, single-colour Raman bands have been imaged in biological tissue at video rates by using ultra-short-pulse lasers. However, identifying multiple, and possibly unknown, molecules requires broad spectral bandwidth and high resolution. Moderate spectral spans combined with high-speed acquisition are now within reach using multichannel detection or frequency-swept laser beams. Laser frequency combs are finding increasing use for broadband molecular linear absorption spectroscopy. Here we show, by exploring their potential for nonlinear spectroscopy, that they can be harnessed for coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy and spectro-imaging. The method uses two combs and can simultaneously measure, on the microsecond timescale, all spectral elements over a wide bandwidth and with high resolution on a single photodetector. Although the overall measurement time in our proof-of-principle experiments is limited by the waiting times between successive spectral acquisitions, this limitation can be overcome with further system development. We therefore expect that our approach of using laser frequency combs will not only enable new applications for nonlinear microscopy but also benefit other nonlinear spectroscopic techniques.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.