US 12,467,842 B2
Widefield interferometric defocus-enhanced (WIDE) mid-infrared (MIR) photothermal microscopy
Ji-Xin Cheng, Newton, MA (US); and Qing Xia, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to Trustees of Boston University, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Trustees of Boston University, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Jul. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/761,564.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/525,443, filed on Jul. 7, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0012695 A1, Jan. 9, 2025
Int. Cl. G01N 15/1434 (2024.01); G01N 15/01 (2024.01)
CPC G01N 15/01 (2024.01) [G01N 15/1434 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1452 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wide-field microscopy method for imaging a sample, comprising:
generating infrared light to be directed onto the sample to selectively heat the sample;
generating probe light to be directed onto the sample;
collecting with an objective probe light after interacting with sample;
detecting the collected probe light at a detector; and
adjusting a relative distance between the objective and sample to defocus interferometric contrast of the collected probe light and correspondingly increase photothermal contrast indicative of infrared absorption by the sample.