In situ and real time monitoring of two-photon polymerization using broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy

Optical coherence tomography-in situ and high-speed 3D imaging for laser materials processing

Exploiting Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography, a high-speed and real-time inspection of multi-photon 3D laser printing has been reported. We expect that this technique can be further extended to single shot compressive 3D imaging for studying the ultrafast dynamics of laser-matter interaction.

Nonlinear Optical Characterization of 2D Materials

Characterizing the physical and chemical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials is of great significance for performance analysis and functional device applications. As a powerful characterization method, nonlinear optics (NLO) spectroscopy has been widely used in the characterization of 2D materials. Here, we summarize the research progress of NLO in 2D materials characterization. First, we introduce the principles of NLO and common detection methods. Second, we introduce the recent research progress on the NLO characterization of several important properties of 2D materials, including the number of layers, crystal orientation, crystal phase, defects, chemical specificity, strain, chemical dynamics, and ultrafast dynamics of excitons and phonons, aiming to provide a comprehensive review on laser-based characterization for exploring 2D material properties. Finally, the future development trends, challenges of advanced equipment construction, and issues of signal modulation are discussed. In particular, we also discuss the machine learning and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) technologies which are expected to provide promising opportunities for 2D material characterization.

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy of single and multi-layer graphene

Spontaneous Raman spectroscopy is a powerful characterization tool for graphene research. Its extension to the coherent regime, despite the large nonlinear third-order susceptibility of graphene, has so far proven challenging. Due to its gapless nature, several interfering electronic and phononic transitions concur to generate its optical response, preventing to retrieve spectral profiles analogous to those of spontaneous Raman. Here we report stimulated Raman spectroscopy of the G-phonon in single and multi-layer graphene, through coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering. The nonlinear signal is dominated by a vibrationally non-resonant background, obscuring the Raman lineshape. We demonstrate that the vibrationally resonant coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering peak can be measured by reducing the temporal overlap of the laser excitation pulses, suppressing the vibrationally non-resonant background. We model the spectra, taking into account the electronically resonant nature of both. We show how coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering can be used for graphene imaging with vibrational sensitivity.

Third-harmonic generation imaging of three-dimensional microstructures fabricated by photopolymerization

We demonstrate the capability of polarized third-harmonic generation (THG) for high contrast imaging of three-dimensional microstructures fabricated by photopolymerization. Using circular polarization of fundamental light, background-free optically-sectioned THG images were obtained from laser-written photopolymerized microstructures. The technique has great potential for simple and noninvasive characterization of photopolymerized devices, which typically show poor contrast in conventional light microscopy.

Supercontinuum-based three-color three-pulse time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering

We demonstrate the use of a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) as a compact three-color fs laser system operating at 76 MHz, limited only by the repetition rate of the pump laser. The system is suitable for background-free time-resolved four-wave mixing measurements, which arguably reach fundamental limits in signal detectivity. We give a detailed characterization of the near transform-limited multi-color pulses that are extracted from the PCF, and prove the system through time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering measurements in bipyridyl ethylene and styrene.

Beyond the borders--Biomedical applications of non-linear Raman microscopy

Raman spectroscopy offers great promise for label free imaging in biomedical applications. Its use, however, is hampered by the long integration times required and the presence of autofluorescence in many samples which outshines the Raman signals. In order to overcome these limitations, a variety of different non-linear Raman imaging techniques have been developed over the last decade. This review describes biomedical applications of these novel but already mature imaging techniques.

Two-photon polymerization: investigation of chemical and mechanical properties of resins using Raman microspectroscopy

In this study, the degree of conversion (DC) of an acrylic-based resin (IP-L 780) in two-photon polymerization (TPP) is systematically investigated via Raman microspectroscopy. A quantitative relationship between TPP laser parameters and the DC of the resin is established. Nonlinear increase in DC with increased laser average power is observed. The resin DC is more sensitive to the laser average power than the laser writing speed. Nanoindentation was employed to correlate the results obtained from Raman microspectroscopy with the mechanical properties of microstructures fabricated by TPP. At constant writing speeds, microstructures fabricated with high laser average powers possess high hardness and high reduced Young's modulus (RYM), indicating high DCs. The results are in line with high DCs measured under the same TPP parameters in Raman microspectroscopy. Raman microspectroscopy is proved to be an effective, rapid, and nondestructive method characterizing microstructures fabrication by TPP.

Multicomponent chemical imaging of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms with broadband CARS microscopy

We compare a coherent Raman imaging modality, broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (BCARS) microscopy, with spontaneous Raman microscopy for quantitative and qualitative assessment of multicomponent pharmaceuticals. Indomethacin was used as a model active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and was analyzed in a tabulated solid dosage form, embedded within commonly used excipients. In comparison with wide-field spontaneous Raman chemical imaging, BCARS acquired images 10× faster, at higher spatiochemical resolution and with spectra of much higher SNR, eliminating the need for multivariate methods to identify chemical components. The significant increase in spatiochemical resolution allowed identification of an unanticipated API phase that was missed by the spontaneous wide-field method and bulk Raman spectroscopy. We confirmed the presence of the unanticipated API phase using confocal spontaneous Raman, which provided spatiochemical resolution similar to BCARS but at 100× slower acquisition times.

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and spontaneous Raman spectroscopy and microscopy of microalgae with nitrogen depletion

Microalgae are extensively researched as potential feedstocks for biofuel production. Energy-rich compounds in microalgae, such as lipids, require efficient characterization techniques to investigate the metabolic pathways and the environmental factors influencing their accumulation. The model green alga Coccomyxa accumulates significant amounts of triacylglycerols (TAGs) under nitrogen depletion (N-depletion). To monitor the growth of TAGs (lipid) in microalgal cells, a study of microalgal cells (Coccomyxa sp. C169) using both spontaneous Raman and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy and microscopy were carried out. Spontaneous Raman spectroscopy was conducted to analyze the components in the algal cells, while CARS was carried out to monitor the distribution of lipid droplets in the cells. Raman signals of carotenoid are greater in control microalgae compared to N-depleted cells. Raman signals of lipid droplets appear after N-depletion and its distribution can be clearly observed in the CARS microscopy. Both spontaneous Raman spectroscopy and CARS microscopy were found to be suitable analysis tools for microalgae.

Synchronized time-lens source for coherent Raman scattering microscopy

We use the time-lens concept to demonstrate a new scheme for synchronization of two pulsed light sources for biological imaging. An all fiber, 1064 nm time-lens source is synchronized to a picosecond solid-state Ti: Sapphire mode-locked laser by using the mode-locked laser pulses as the clock. We demonstrate the application of this synchronized source for CARS and SRS imaging by imaging mouse tissues. Synchronized two wavelength pulsed source is an important technical difficulty for CARS and SRS imaging. The time-lens source demonstrated here may provide an all fiber, user friendly alternative for future SRS imaging.