US 11,940,380 B2
Depth-resolved mid-infrared photothermal imaging of living cells and organisms with sub-micron spatial resolution
Delong Zhang, Brighton, MA (US); and Ji-Xin Cheng, Newton, MA (US)
Assigned to Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, IN (US)
Filed by Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, IN (US)
Filed on Feb. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/171,910.
Application 17/698,215 is a division of application No. 15/715,534, filed on Sep. 26, 2017, granted, now 11,280,727, issued on Mar. 2, 2022.
Application 18/171,910 is a continuation of application No. 17/698,215, filed on Mar. 18, 2022, granted, now 11,674,897.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/400,582, filed on Sep. 27, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0194421 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 21/3563 (2014.01); C12Q 1/02 (2006.01); G01J 5/22 (2006.01); G01N 21/17 (2006.01); G01J 5/00 (2022.01); G02B 21/02 (2006.01); G02B 21/06 (2006.01); G02B 21/18 (2006.01); H01S 5/34 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/3563 (2013.01) [C12Q 1/02 (2013.01); G01J 5/22 (2013.01); G01N 21/171 (2013.01); G01J 2005/0077 (2013.01); G01N 2021/1712 (2013.01); G01N 2201/0612 (2013.01); G01N 2201/0697 (2013.01); G02B 21/02 (2013.01); G02B 21/06 (2013.01); G02B 21/18 (2013.01); H01S 5/3401 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for microscopic analysis of a sample, comprising:
a) a mid-IR optical source that generates an infrared beam;
b) an optical source that generates a probe beam;
c) beam combining optics configured to combine the infrared beam and the probe beam as combined beams;
d) an objective configured to focus the combined beams on to the sample;
e) a detector to detect probe light from at least one of: the probe beam transmitted through the sample and the probe beam returning from the sample; and
f) a data acquisition and processing system configured to acquire and process the detected probe light from the detector to generate a signal indicative of IR absorption by the sample, wherein the signal indicative of IR absorption has a spatial resolution of less than 1 micrometer,
wherein the data acquisition and processing system is configured to obtain measurements at different depths within the sample and generate a plurality of signals indicative of IR absorption each at the different depths for use in generating a set of depth-resolved maps of IR absorption of the sample.