Biochemical detection with ultra wideband coherent optical combs

A system for biosensing, the system comprising:

• an optical excitation source configured to generate an optical excitation signal;
• a programmable optical filter configured to apply optical filtering;
• an optical detector;
• and
• detection circuitry configured to apply coherent mixing detection;
• wherein the system is configured such that, during a biosensory operation:
• the optical excitation signal is applied to a biochemical sample, the biochemical sample comprising at least one targeted biochemical agent;
• the optical detector captures a first signal comprising spectral responses corresponding to applying the optical excitation signal to the biochemical sample;
• the programmable optical filter applies optical filtering to a copy of the optical excitation signal, based on a matching target reference signal that comprises a spectral response profile for the at least one targeted biochemical agent;
• and
• the detection circuitry applies coherent mixing detection to the first signal and a second signal generated based on applying the optical filtering to the copy of the optical excitation signal, wherein applying coherent mixing detection comprises combining the first signal and the second signal line-by-line.