Optically super-resolved infrared impulse spectroscopy (OSIRIS)—a technique for high contrast chemical imaging of chemical composition

A method for spectroscopic imaging, comprising:

• (a) illuminating a sample with a short infrared pulse shorter than or equal to the cooling time constant of resolution scale inclusions within the sample to induce a temperature change independent of inclusion size or surface area, wherein the sample has a chemical makeup;
• (b) directing one or more probe beams to the sample such that it is incident within the area heated by the infrared pulse, and wherein the one or more probe beams has a shorter wavelength than the infrared pulse;
• and
• (c) measuring light that is reflected, transmitted, re-emitted inelastically, or any combination thereof for the one or more probe beam;
• (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) multiple times with varying wavelengths of the infrared pulse and while moving the sample and the one or more probe beams relative to each other to create a multidimensional infrared spectroscopic image of the sample that characterizes the chemical makeup of the sample;
• and
• (e) analyzing the multidimensional infrared spectroscopic image in the time domain to infer information about sample where the one or more probe beams are incident and the surrounding area either to reduce the uncertainty of the collected image or upsample an undersampled image.

A method for spectroscopic imaging, comprising:

• (a) illuminating a sample with a short infrared pulse shorter than or equal to the cooling time constant of resolution scale inclusions within the sample to induce a temperature change independent of inclusion size or surface area, wherein the sample has a chemical makeup;
• (b) directing one or more probe beams to the sample such that it is incident within the area heated by the infrared pulse, and wherein the one or more probe beams has a shorter wavelength than the infrared pulse;
• and
• (c) measuring light that is reflected, transmitted, re-emitted inelastically, or any combination thereof for the one or more probe beam;
• (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) multiple times with varying wavelengths of the infrared pulse and while moving the sample and the one or more probe beams relative to each other to create a multidimensional infrared spectroscopic image of the sample that characterizes the chemical makeup of the sample;
• and
• (e) combining a time domain analysis with spectral de-mixing to extract concentration maps.

A system comprising:

• a pulsed infrared light source;
• an optical system for generating one or more probe beams;
• means for directing the infrared light source and one or more probe beams to a sample;
• a device for moving the one or more probe beams and the sample relative to each other;
• one or more light detectors and filtering optics for the one or more probe beams;
• digitization electronics for the one or more probe beams, wherein the digitization electronics have temporal resolution greater than or equal to the cooling time constant of resolution scale objects;
• and
• a computer with control software to collect, process, analyze and display relevant information.