Coherent Anti‐Stokes Emission from Gold Nanorods and its Potential for Imaging Applications

We used coherent anti‐Stokes scattering (CAS) to characterize individual gold nanorods (GNRs) and GNR aggregates. By creating samples with different densities of GNRs on silicon wafer substrates, we were able to determine surface coverage by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and then correlate the coverage to the CAS intensities of the samples. The observed CAS signal intensity was quadratically dependent on the number of particles. We also examined the CAS signal as a function of the excitation polarization and found that the strongest signals in regularly oriented GNRs were observed when the beam polarization was aligned with the longitudinal axis of the GNRs. Irregularly oriented GNRs exhibited a different scattering pattern to that observed for regularly oriented GNRs. The polarization‐dependent scattering from oriented GNRs showed cos⁶ (θ) behavior. By imaging nanoscale‐sized GNR patterns using CAS and evaluating the results with SEM, we show that CAS can be used for efficient, label‐free imaging of nanoscale metallic particles.     

Surface-enhanced femtosecond CARS spectroscopy (SE-CARS) on pyridine

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has become an integral part of spectroscopy. The inelastic scattering process is enhanced by several orders of magnitude when molecules are in close contact to nano-structured coin metals. However, the use of surface enhancement in combination with nonlinear spectroscopy is by far not as common as in linear spectroscopy even though a more drastic effect could be expected. In our work, we report the observations we made from the preliminary studies on surface enhancement mechanisms in combination with coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) using femtosecond laser pulses. Silver colloids were used as enhancement medium. Molecules, which show conventional SERS were selected for the experiments. Femtosecond CARS was performed on these molecular systems in the presence and absence of silver colloids. The scattered CARS signal was collected both in the forward and sideward directions. From the analysis of the results general observations were made about the factors affecting the performance of SE-CARS.     

Coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering in Raman lasers and Raman wavelength converters

In this paper recent research progress on the use of Coherent Anti‐Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) in Raman lasers and Raman wavelength converters is reviewed. The latest insights in the physical nature and behavior of CARS are addressed, and the recent performance breakthroughs in CARS‐based Raman wavelength conversion are discussed. Based on the new findings regarding the behavior of CARS, a physical explanation for apparent inconsistencies in various experimental observations of Raman wavelength conversion is provided. To conclude it is shown that these recent insights also pave the way to the development of a novel CARS‐based mechanism for reducing the heat dissipation in Raman lasers.     

CARS investigation of collisional shift of the hydrogen Q‐branch transitions by water at high temperatures

A high‐resolution (∼0.1 cm⁻¹) spectroscopic method based on the application of a Fabry–Pérot interferometer to the spectral analysis of the coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) signal from an individual Raman transition was used to obtain single‐shot spectra of hydrogen Q‐branch transitions directly in the flame of a pulsed, high‐pressure H₂/O₂ combustion chamber. Simultaneously with the Fabry–Pérot pattern, a broadband CARS spectrum of the complete H₂Q ‐branch structure was recorded in order to measure the temperature of the probe volume. During every cycle of the combustion chamber, a pressure pulse together with single‐shot CARS spectra, providing information on individual line shapes and medium temperature, was recorded. On the basis of the experimental data, the temperature dependences of lineshift coefficients for several Q‐branch lines of hydrogen molecules under collisions with water molecules were determined in the temperature range 2100 < T < 3500 K, and an empirical ‘fitting law’ for H₂ H₂O lineshift coefficients is proposed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

高光谱成像技术鉴别鱼新鲜度

采用高光谱成像技术对鱼新鲜度进行检测研究。首先,提取鱼样本感兴趣区域(region of interest, ROI)光谱,分别采用竞争性自适应重加权算法(CARS),连续投影算法(SPA)和遗传算法(GA)提取特征波长,三种算法分别得到57,31和66个特征变量,采用最小二乘支持向量机和SIMCA作为分类模型,将57,31和66个特征变量作为LS-SVM和SIMCA模型的输入变量建立分类模型,基于SPA-LS-SVM和CARS-LS-SVM模型预测集识别率分别达到了98%和96%,而采用SIMCA建立的模型取得了较差的预测结果,GA-SIMCA, SPA-SIMCA和CARS-SIMCA模型预测集识别率都只是达到了52%。结果表明,LS-SVM作为分类模型优于SIMCA模型,SPA和CARS选择的特征波长,不但可以简化模型,还可以提高模型的预测精度,采用高光谱成像技术可以有效检测鱼的新鲜度,并能准确检测出鱼不同冻融次数和冷冻时间。     

WIDECARS spectra fitting in a premixed ethylene–air flame

WIDECARS measures temperature and mole fractions of most of the major species in ethylene–air flames. One of the issues in implementing this technique is fitting the experimental spectra to theory to obtain flame conditions (temperature, species mole fractions). Individual spectra contain many species resonances, and theory is slow to compute. Libraries of precalculated spectra can be used, but a library of sufficient density for accurate interpolation is large given the many variables. A new fitting algorithm is presented which utilizes a less‐dense library, and additional spectra are calculated during fitting to maintain accuracy. The iterative convergence method converts the problem of minimizing fit error, which converges slowly, to a zero finding problem, which converges reliably, rapidly, and accurately to best fit. Various practical fitting issues, such as the effects of dye laser mode noise and variability, phase‐matching efficiency, and shifts of the spectrum on the spectrometer are addressed. The technique is demonstrated in the analysis of experimental measurements in an equivalence ratio 2.1 ethylene–air flame above the surface of a McKenna burner. Precision errors because of experimental and fitting effects are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical imaging of glucose by CARS microscopy

Glucose is one of the most fundamental molecules within life and bioengineering sciences. Present understanding of its role in cellular and bioengineering processes relies primarily on invasive, large‐scale biochemical analysis, providing no spatial information on glucose pools or fluxes. This work identifies an emerging microscopy technique based on coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), which fulfills the need of quantitative imaging of glucose at the single‐cell level with submicrometer resolution. No sample preparation with reporter molecules is required, ensuring that the low‐weight metabolite is studied under natural conditions. The potential of CARS microscopy is illustrated by quantitatively mapping glucose fluxes and distributions in a microfluidic bioreactor and in lipid‐bilayer vesicles, the latter as a model for glucose transmembrane transport. Furthermore, the metabolic response to a glucose pulse was monitored in living yeast cells. This study signifies a new era within CARS microscopy for its use of monitoring carbohydrates, in particular glucose which is one of the most abundant molecules in nature. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.