Polarization sensitive ultrafast mid-IR pump probe micro-spectrometer with diffraction limited spatial resolution

Edge-pixel referencing suppresses correlated baseline noise in heterodyned spectroscopies

Referencing schemes are commonly used in heterodyned spectroscopies to mitigate correlated baseline noise arising from shot-to-shot fluctuations of the local oscillator. Although successful, these methods rely on careful pixel-to-pixel matching between the two spectrographs. A recent scheme introduced by Feng et al. [Opt. Express 27(15), 20323-20346 (2019)] employed a correlation matrix to allow free mapping between dissimilar spectrographs, leading to the first demonstration of floor noise limited detection on a multichannel array used in heterodyned spectroscopy. In addition to their primary results using a second reference spectrometer, Feng et al. briefly demonstrated the flexibility of their method by referencing to same-array pixels at the two spectral edges (i.e., edge-pixel referencing). We present a comprehensive study of this approach, which we term edge-pixel referencing, including optimization of the approach, assessment of the performance, and determination of the effects of background responses. We show that, within some limitations, the distortions due to background signals will not affect the 2D IR line shape or amplitude and can be mitigated by band narrowing of the pump beams. We also show that the performance of edge-pixel referencing is comparable to that of referencing to a second spectrometer in terms of noise suppression and that the line shapes and amplitudes of the spectral features are, within the measurement error, identical. Altogether, these results demonstrate that edge-pixel referencing is a powerful approach for noise suppression in heterodyned spectroscopies, which requires no new hardware and, so, can be implemented as a software solution for anyone performing heterodyned spectroscopy with multichannel array detectors already.

Optimized noise reduction scheme for heterodyne spectroscopy using array detectors

In this work, we optimize and further advance a noise reduction scheme for heterodyne spectroscopy. This scheme linearly combines data from reference detectors to predict the noise statistics in the signal detector through an optimized coefficient matrix. We validate this scheme for visible white-light-continuum and 800-nm light sources using un-matched CMOS arrays and show that the signal-to-noise ratio can approach the noise floor of the signal detector while using only ~5% of the energy for reference detection. We also optimize the strategy for estimating the coefficient matrix in practical applications. When combined with elaborate algorithms to perform pixel data compression and expansion, our scheme is applicable in difficult situations, including when the sample position is rapidly scanned, when detectors exhibit nonlinear response, and/or when laser fluctuations are large. The scheme is generalized to scenarios with complex chopping or phase cycling patterns, and a simple approach is provided for the chopping case. Finally, a robust and computationally efficient method is devised to remove multiplicative noise.

Coherent two-dimensional electronic and infrared crystallography

The two-dimensional electronic and infrared spectroscopy of oriented single crystals is sensitive to structure and point group symmetry. The third order response of crystals is generally different from measurements of isotropic solutions because each coherence path that contributes to the measured field scales to the ensemble average of the four-point correlation functions of the four field-dipole interactions involved in the respective Feynman paths. An analytical evaluation of 2D optical crystallography which depends on the crystal symmetry, laboratory orientation, and the orientation in the crystallographic frame is presented. Applying a symmetry operator in the basis of the allowed polarised radiation modes provides a method for evaluation of non-zero fourth rank tensor elements alternative to direct inspection methods. Uniaxial and biaxial systems are distinguished and the contributions to the rephasing and non-rephasing directions are evaluated for isolated and coupled oscillators. By exploiting coordinate analysis, the extension of non-linear electronic and infrared crystallography for coupled oscillators demonstrates the structural, directional, and symmetry dependent selection of coherences to the four-wave mixing signal.

Femtosecond infrared spectroscopy of chlorophyll f-containing photosystem I

Femtosecond time resolved infrared spectroscopy of far-red light grown photosystem I shows chlorophyll f contributions in light harvesting and charge separation.

General noise suppression scheme with reference detection in heterodyne nonlinear spectroscopy

We devised a novel two-step reference scheme that can greatly suppress the additive and convolutional noises in heterodyne nonlinear spectroscopy. To optimally remove additive noise, we fully utilized the spectral correlation in multi-channel reference data through a linear combination and regression algorithm. Using our pump-probe 2D IR spectrometer, we demonstrated that our scheme can improve the signal-to-noise ratio by 10-30 times and reach the noise floor of the signal detector. The new algorithm is guaranteed to reduce noise, enables the use of unmatched reference detectors, and does not introduce baseline shift or signal distortion. This scheme is applicable to many heterodyne spectroscopic techniques.

Ultrafast infrared observation of exciton equilibration from oriented single crystals of photosystem II

In oxygenic photosynthesis, two photosystems work in series. Each of them contains a reaction centre that is surrounded by light-harvesting antennae, which absorb the light and transfer the excitation energy to the reaction centre where electron transfer reactions are driven. Here we report a critical test for two contrasting models of light harvesting by photosystem II cores, known as the trap-limited and the transfer-to-the trap-limited model. Oriented single crystals of photosystem II core complexes of Synechococcus elongatus are excited by polarized visible light and the transient absorption is probed with polarized light in the infrared. The dichroic amplitudes resulting from photoselection are maintained on the 60 ps timescale that corresponds to the dominant energy transfer process providing compelling evidence for the transfer-to-the-trap limitation of the overall light-harvesting process. This finding has functional implications for the quenching of excited states allowing plants to survive under high light intensities.

Wide-Spectrum Microscope with a Long Working Distance Aspherical Objective Based on Obscuration Constraint

We present an approach for an initial configuration design based on obscuration constraint and on-axis Taylor series expansion to realize the design of long working distance microscope (numerical aperture (NA) = 0.13 and working distance (WD) = 525 mm) with a low obscuration aspherical Schwarzschild objective in wide-spectrum imaging (λ = 400-900 nm). Experiments of the testing on the resolution target and inspection on United States Air Force (USAF) resolution chart and a line charge-coupled device (CCD) (pixel size of 14 μm × 56 μm) with different wavelength light sources (λ = 480 nm, 550 nm, 660 nm, 850 nm) were implemented to verify the validity of the proposed method.

Long working distance microscope with a low obscuration aspherical Schwarzschild objective

For fine stitching of multiwindow wide-spectrum detectors, an aspherical Schwarzschild objective with an effective working distance of 525 mm has been realized for chromatic aberration-free imaging in 400-900 nm wavelength range and with a numerical aperture of 0.13. A theoretical approach for analytical design of an initial configuration has been modeled using an on-axis Taylor series expansion, and the beam obscuration ratio (OR) has been controlled down to 4%. In comparison against the theoretical spherical-based Schwarzschild objective, 77.5% of the OR has been reduced for improved contrast.

Photoisomerization and proton transfer in the forward and reverse photoswitching of the fast-switching M159T mutant of the Dronpa fluorescent protein

The fast-switching M159T mutant of the reversibly photoswitchable fluorescent protein Dronpa has an enhanced yield for the on-to-off reaction. The forward and reverse photoreactions proceed via cis-trans and trans-cis photoisomerization, yet protonation and deprotonation of the hydroxyphenyl oxygen of the chromophore is responsible for the majority of the resulting spectroscopic contrast. Ultrafast visible-pump, infrared-probe spectroscopy was used to detect the picosecond, nanosecond, as well as metastable millisecond intermediates. Additionally, static FTIR difference measurements of the Dronpa-M159T mutant correspond very closely to those of the wild type Dronpa, identifying the p-hydroxybenzylidene-imidazolinone chromophore in the cis anion and trans neutral forms in the bright "on" and dark "off" states, respectively. Green excitation of the on state is followed by dominant radiative decay with characteristic time constants of 1.9 ps, 185 ps, and 1.1 ns, and additionally reveals spectral changes belonging to the species decaying with a 1.1 ns time constant, associated with both protein and chromophore modes. A 1 ms measurement of the on state identifies bleach features that correspond to those seen in the static off-minus-on Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) difference spectrum, indicating that thermal protonation of the hydroxyphenyl oxygen proceeds within this time window. Blue excitation of the off state directly resolves the formation of the primary photoproduct with 0.6 and 14 ps time constants, which is stable on the nanosecond time scale. Assignment of the primary photoproduct to the cis neutral chromophore in the electronic ground state is supported by the frequency positions expected relative to those for the nonplanar distorted geometry for the off state. A 1 ms measurement of the off state corresponds closely with the on-minus-off FTIR difference spectrum, indicating thermal deprotonation and rearrangement of the Arg66 side chain to be complete.

Ultrafast infrared spectroscopy in photosynthesis

In recent years visible pump/mid-infrared (IR) probe spectroscopy has established itself as a key technology to unravel structure-function relationships underlying the photo-dynamics of complex molecular systems. In this contribution we review the most important applications of mid-infrared absorption difference spectroscopy with sub-picosecond time-resolution to photosynthetic complexes. Considering several examples, such as energy transfer in photosynthetic antennas and electron transfer in reaction centers and even more intact structures, we show that the acquisition of ultrafast time resolved mid-IR spectra has led to new insights into the photo-dynamics of the considered systems and allows establishing a direct link between dynamics and structure, further strengthened by the possibility of investigating the protein response signal to the energy or electron transfer processes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Vibrational spectroscopies and bioenergetic systems.

A comparative study on chirped-pulse upconversion and direct multichannel MCT detection

A comparative study is carried out on two spectroscopic techniques employed to detect ultrafast absorption changes in the mid-infrared spectral range, namely direct multichannel detection via HgCdTe (MCT) photodiode arrays and the newly established technique of chirped-pulse up-conversion (CPU). Whereas both methods are meanwhile individually used in a routine manner, we directly juxtapose their applicability in femtosecond pump-probe experiments based on 1 kHz shot-to-shot data acquisition. Additionally, we examine different phase-matching conditions in the CPU scheme for a given mid-infrared spectrum, thereby simultaneously detecting signals which are separated by more than 200 cm(-1).